Legends of the Clans Book 1: Calm Before the Storm
by Dusksong of MeadowClan
Summary: (OLD AND CRINGY) The original Clans fell long ago. From the ashes came MeadowClan, LakeClan, StormClan, and OwlClan. The new Clans have lived in peace for many moons, but MoonClan whispers of a long-forgotten prophecy...and in the middle of it all are three eager young MeadowClan apprentices
1. Allegiances and Prologue

**First, let me make this clear: This is _not_ being discontinued. My friends (Breezefur, Icepool and I) have just started working on the fourth book.**

 **This is more of a warning than a note. This first book was started a _looong_ time ago when we were in fifth and sixth grade. We haven't edited it much since then. As a result, it is a very crappy book that needs a major rewrite. If you want higher quality writing, do not read this book. I will be uploading the second book soon; skip to the last few chapters of this book (start on chapter 16 if you want to understand what is going on), read them, and start the second for better writing. You'll probably be able to catch on.**

 **Also, I will start posting some side stories, kind of like short novellas. Look out for Legends of the Clans: Side Stories soon!**

* * *

 **Cats and Clans**

 **MeadowClan** :

Leader: Lionstar - golden brown tabby tom with thick fur (Mate: Heatherfur)

Deputy: Nightjay - handsome black tom with ice blue eyes (App. Breezepaw; Mate: Blossomheart)

Medicine Cats: Mossflower - tortoiseshell she-cat with blue eyes (App. Mintpaw)

Warriors:

Greenleap - black tom with white ears and yellow eyes

Grassheart - mottled brown she-cat (Mate: Branchwing)

Branchwing - dusty brown tom (App. Flamepaw; Mate: Grassheart)

Cherryleaf - chocolate tortoiseshell she-cat (Mate: Finchwing)

Treeheart - bark brown tom with amber eyes (App. Rockpaw)

Mallowleaf - pale lilac she-cat with a sweet scent (Mate: Snowpelt)

Finchwing - brown tabby tom (Mate: Cherryleaf)

Honeypelt - honey-brown she-cat

Sassytail - white she-cat with darker flecks near tail; very sassy (mentally disturbed)

Darkpelt - chocolate brown tabby tom

Berrysplash - golden tabby tom with a splash of russet on back

Aspenclaw - mottled brown tom

Inventors:

Crazystorm - verbally disturbed grey tabby tom with white flecked fur

Snowpelt - light grey tabby tom (App. Dawnpaw, Mate: Mallowleaf)

Apprentices:

Breezepaw - dark grey she-cat with violet eyes

Mintpaw - pretty fawn tabby she-cat with emerald-green eyes (Med.)

Rockpaw - brown tabby tom with very tall ears

Dawnpaw - brown she-cat with russet paws

Flamepaw - ginger tom with a very bad ego

Queens:

Blossomheart - light tortoiseshell-and-white she-cat with blossom-shaped splotches and green eyes; mother to Nightjay's kits: Icekit - light silver tabby she-kit tinted with blue, and has bright periwinkle eyes and Duskkit - pretty, golden russet she-kit with jet black paws and has brilliant emerald green eyes)

Berrytail - lilac she-cat (mother to Treeheart's kit: Mistkit - blue she-kit)

Heatherfur - lilac she-cat with violet eyes (expecting kits in 2 moons)

Elders:

Swiftstripe - black tom with white stripes

Greystrike - mottled grey tom with green eyes

Swallowpelt - blind tabby tom

 **OwlClan:**

Leader: Shadestar - light gray tom with white spots

Deputy: Needlestorm - black, yellow, and white tom

Medicine Cats:

Honeytail - cream she-cat

Marshnose - dull brown and red tom

Warriors:

Darkfur - dark brown tabby tom (App. Whitepaw - white tom)

Birdfang - blue-grey tom

Shadowfeather - black she-cat

Tinyflower - small black and brown she-cat

Blacktail - black tom with a white ear (App. Scratchpaw - tabby tom)

Beeberry - pretty plump black and white she-cat

Inventors:

Fernleaf - smart calico she-cat

Skyear - light blue tom (App. Mudpaw - brown tom)

Queen(s):

Flysong - mottled brown she-cat (expecting kits in half a moon)

Elders:

Tangleclaw - golden brown tabby tom

Mangotail - light tabby she-cat

 **LakeClan**

Leader: Streamstar - blue-grey she-cat

Deputy: Troutstrike - silver tabby tom

Medicine Cat: Splashleaf - mottled gray she-cat

Inventor(s):

Pikefoot - grumpy brown tom

Warriors:

Seasong - tabby she-cat

Shellfur - handsome cream tom (App. Duckpaw - light tabby tom)

Pebblefoot - long haired gray tom

Rushcloud - orange tabby tom

Swanbreeze - pure white she-cat with light blue eyes

Woodwillow - brown she-cat (App. Peachpaw - tabby she-cat)

Riverlight - pretty silver tabby she-cat (App. Minnowpaw - fawn tom with amber eyes)

Watertail - white tom

Elders:

Weedclaw - tortoiseshell tom

Cloudfur - white she-cat with one eye

Reddawn - red tabby she-cat with one missing leg

 **StormClan**

Leader: Lichenstar - mottled grey tom

Deputy: Brackenbark - golden brown tabby tom

Medicine Cats: Yellowleaf - tabby she-cat (App. Lightpaw - light tortoiseshell she-cat)

Inventors:

Hazelstripe - hazel colored she-cat (App. Starlingpaw - brown she-cat with a white belly)

Tallfoot - handsome blue-gray tom (App. Flowerpaw - tortoiseshell she-cat)

Warriors:

Sorrelheart - long haired tabby she-cat

Brairfall - golden brown she-cat

Robinwhisker - dark ginger tom with a blind eye

Kinkclaw - tabby tom with spiky fur

Elmblaze - russet tom with brown paws

Thunderblaze - gold and russet tom (App. Violetpaw - lilac she-cat)

Queens:

Yarrowleg - cream tabby she-cat; mother to Kinkclaw's kits (Racoonkit - dilute tortoiseshell she-cat, and Flashkit - cream tabby tom)

Gingerpelt - ginger she-cat; mother to Robinwhisker's kit (Sunkit - small ginger tom)

Goldenface - golden she-cat with a torn ear (expecting kits in 2 moons)

Elders:

Longface - a brown tabby tom with long, tall ears

Redfur - white paws and red fur with grey flecks, she-cat

 **DumbClan**

Medicine Cat

Eagleheart - russet tom; former warrior but trained to be a medicine cat and has a reckless personality

Warriors:

Eggnose - tabby tom with a white nose ( smells like a rotten egg and current leader)

Greeneyes - battle-hungry she-cat with green eyes (App. Brutalpaw - brutal white tom with a nasty personality; brother of Crosspaw)

Tickpelt - shabby, black tom with lots of fleas and ticks (App. Crosspaw - an amber brown she-cat that has blind, meadow green eyes; sister of Brutalpaw)

Perfectheart - longhaired grey tabby she-cat who is cleaned to perfection

Hissflight - grumpy brown tom who hisses a lot

Handsomestripe - a chocolate brown tom who constantly looks at his reflection in puddles and rivers

Inventors:

Weirdface - oddly colored tom with a twisted face

Iglooheart - all white tom whose words are as cold as living in an igloo

Queen(s):

Foxcloud - a fox colored, selfish she-cat; mother to Hissflight's kit (Blindkit - golden brown tom who has blind amber eyes and Diamondkit - cream she-kit with diamond blue eyes.)

 **Other cats and animals**

Grass - marbled cinnamon tabby tom with copper eyes (loner)

* * *

 **Prologue**

Mintpaw settled in her cozy nest, her eyes droopy due to fatigue. She was tired after a long day of sorting herbs, taking in Mossflower's criticism, running back and forth to check on Icekit (who hadn't opened her eyes even though she was a moon old), and avoiding toms who gushed whenever she came their way. After a hard day's work, she could finally get some rest and not worry about anything. That was, until Mintpaw actually fell asleep.

The pretty fawn tabby she-cat thought she would just be dreaming of catching a mouse and eating it, or recieving her medicine cat name that was absolutely gorgeous.

But no.

Mintpaw closed her eyes and fell asleep quickly, but soon woke up in a misty haze that surrounded her pelt. Mintpaw blinked; this was the opposite of what she expected. Through the haze, a shadowy figure grew bigger as it crept closer to Mintpaw. Mintpaw fluffed up her pelt to look twice her size and flattened her ears. _It's just a dream._ Mintpaw whispered in her head. _No cat can hurt you here._ The shadowy figure soon came to be a bramble pelted tom with flashing amber eyes.

"Who are you? What are you doing in my dream?!" Mintpaw yelped.

"Greetings Mintpaw," The bramble tom mewed calmly.

"H… how do you know my name?" Mintpaw stammered; she took a couple steps back.

"I am Bramblestar, the leader after Firestar." Bramblestar explained, "Such a pity, almost no cat remembers us."

"Y… you were the deputy of the legendary Firestar?" Mintpaw gasped, then bowed her head, "I… I am honored…"

"No need to be." Bramblestar grinned, "I know, I'm extremely famous."

"What do you need from me?"

"Look inside this pool it will tell you all you need to know." Bramblestar nodded at the silvery puddle in front of Mintpaw.

Mintpaw cocked her head.

"Won't I suffocate?"

"I promise you, you won't." Bramblestar purred with amusement, "Now, take a look."

Mintpaw took a deep breath, then dipped her head to the silver pool. As soon as Mintpaw's nose touched the water, a spark of light engulfed Mintpaw's vision. Mintpaw squeezed her eyes shut. When the light faded, Mintpaw opened her eyes, and saw the outlines of three cats. No, they were kits! Their pelts began to fill with color, but their faces were still faceless. There was a silver tabby, a golden russet, and a blue-grey she-kit. But they were not alone. There, outlining the three kits were the auras of three spirits, Ice, Mist, and Dusk. They swam around the kits, then blasted all their power into their little chests. Mintpaw screamed silently and with some effort, jerked her head out from the pool. She looked around in panic, and saw that Bramblestar was gone.

"B… Bramblestar?" Mintpaw's voice echoed.

Then, she heard a single voice, " _Mintpaw, something terrible is coming… the Mist will rise, the Rocks will fall. Dawn will turn to Dusk. It's like a battle between Fire and Ice…"_

"What does it mean?!" Mintpaw wailed as the fog grew thicker, "Bramblestar! Don't leave me here!" Mintpaw squeezed her eyes shut and curled up her body. _Wake up!_

Mintpaw jerked and woke up. Her eyes wild and her body trembling. Panting, Bramblestar's voice echoed in her head. _The Mist will rise, the Rocks will fall. Dawn will turn to Dusk. It's like a battle between Fire and Ice..._


	2. Chapter 1: Let's play!

The afternoon light shone on the calm valley, isolated from the rest of the Clans. A white kit pounced on a moss ball that was rolling away from her. A dark grey she-cat stole the ball away from the tiny kit.

"Hey! You can't steal it from me!" the white kit squeaked in surprise.

The dark grey she-cat batted the moss ball,

"This is my training practice! I'm just letting you play!" the dark grey she-cat meowed.

A russet kit leaped in with another blue-grey she-kit.

"Can we play too?" the russet she-kit squealed.

"I guess, just don't let Nightjay see you though!" the dark grey she-cat muttered.

Shrieking, the blue-grey she-kit jumped up when the dark grey she-cat passed her the ball.

"Come on Mistkit, I thought you wanted to play!" the grey she-cat groaned.

"But, the moss ball is dirty!" Mistkit whined, pawing the wet ball.

Duskkit, the mostly russet she-kit, rolled her eyes. The white she-kit, Icekit, her younger sister snickered.

"Don't laugh, Mistkit just needs… 'experience' in getting dirty." Breezepaw, the dark grey she-cat, scolded.

The white kit yowled and bowled Breezepaw over.

"I win!" she declared.

Breezepaw rolled her eyes and shook the kit off her pelt.

"Icekit, if I'm your mentor, I'll make sure you'll be the best warrior you can be. With manners!" Breezepaw chuckled.

Mistkit grinned and cuffed Duskkit on the ear.

"This low lifer wants to become an inventor!" she sneered, sticking her tongue out at her.

Snorting, Duskkit stomped off, whining to her mother, Blossomheart. Nightjay appeared from the ferns. He locked his gaze on Breezepaw.

"Breezepaw, it's your apprentice assessment. Let's go!" Nightjay mewed sternly.

Breezepaw dipped her head and hurried after her mentor. Icekit pouted, she turned to Mistkit.

"Let's play!" Icekit mewed, "Here, I got the ball!"

"I'm hungry!" Mistkit gazed towards the fresh-kill pile, "Hey look! A thrush to share!"

Icekit sniffed and pelted for the food with Mistkit. Icekit made little effort pulling the bird twice her size out of the pile. Mistkit sniffed the thrush.

"Let's eat!" Mistkit mewed, stuffing her face.

Icekit tore a chunk of meat from the thrush, gulping it down in ravenous bites. Mistkit sneezed with a feather on her nose.

"That was amazing! I need to know who caught this!" Mistkit murmured.

Icekit nodded in agreement. Breezepaw stepped into the Clan camp, holding a massive rabbit in her jaws. Nightjay was puffing out his chest proudly and Lionstar purred.

"Look what Breezepaw has brought for us to play with!" Icekit exclaimed bounding towards the prey.

Breezepaw stifled a mrrw of laughter. Nightjay shooed Icekit away,

"No, little one, that's not for playing, it's for eating." He meowed.

Lionstar nodded to Breezepaw and she dropped her prey onto the fresh-kill pile. Just then Crazystorm teetered out of the inventors' den. He stopped in front of Breezepaw.

"Confrajuakions no apssing!" he warbled.

Breezepaw nodded and padded away quickly.

"What did he just say?" Icekit asked.

"Ummm, probably 'Congratulations on passing!'" Duskkit guessed.

"You'll get used to it," Blossomheart purred. "Don't forget, I was his apprentice once. Before you know it, you will be understanding what he says in heartbeats!"

Icekit stared at Duskkit, who was puffing up her chest with pride. Mistkit twitched her ears.

Icekit stealthily circled around her sister as if she was an enemy apprentice who had crossed the border. Breezepaw purred in amusement,

"You'll be a great warrior one day, little one," she commented.

Icekit grinned and bounced up to her friend,

"I want you as my mentor when I'm an apprentice, Breezepaw!" Icekit exclaimed.

"Me too!" Mistkit squealed, bouncing around.

Duskkit looked towards Blossomheart,

"I want you to teach me!" She mewed simply. Blossomheart licked Duskkit's ear.

Lionstar bounded up the Meeting Rock, his golden fur shone like the sun in the light. His posture made him look elegant. Nightjay stood next to him proudly.

"Let all cats of MeadowClan gather beneath the Meeting Rock for a Clan meeting!" Lionstar announced.

Cats swarmed the clearing. The noise made Icekit's ears hurt. Crazystorm walked awkwardly in and plopped beside Treeheart. Treeheart inched away.

"Breezepaw, please step up!" Lionstar called.

All eyes turned to the dark grey apprentice. Breezepaw puffed out her chest and strode towards the Meeting Rock.

"Breezepaw, do you wish to serve your Clanmates and risk your life defending your Clan? Do you wish to serve your elders and queens and bring them fresh-kill?" Lionstar questioned.

"I do," Breezepaw meowed confidently.

"Then by the powers of MoonClan, I name you Breezefur!" Lionstar yowled.

"Breezefur! Breezefur!" the Clan yowled. Mintpaw, Breezefur's sister, yowled with pride, but it was drowned out by Icekit's cheer. Grassheart and Branchwing, Breezefur's parents, yowled gleefully for their kit.

When Lionstar had touched his tail tip to Breezefur's shoulder, he dismissed the Clan. Breezefur stepped down and Icekit dashed towards her best friend.

"Congratulations Breezefur!" Icekit squealed, Mistkit dipped her head and Duskkit padded around the new warrior.

"Gee, thanks guys!" Breezefur gushed, she noticed her family hovering behind the trio of kits.

"Um, I think my parents and littermate want to talk to me, see you later!" Breezefur called over her shoulder as she pushed past the clambering cats.

"Hi mom! Hi dad, hey Mintpaw!" Breezefur gasped.

Grassheart swooped in and started licking Breezefur all over. Branchwing purred and Mintpaw kept congratulating her sister over and over. Breezefur blushed.

"What a beautiful name! You're so smart! So elegant!" Grassheart murmured.

Mintpaw beckoned Breezefur to come over. Breezefur flicked her tail and padded over to Mintpaw.

"Yes Mintpaw?" Breezefur mewed.

"I… I needed to talk with you, it's about a dream, I had." Mintpaw mumbled.

"Oh?" Breezefur pricked her ears with interest.

"MoonClan sent me a sign, an omen." Mintpaw mewed. "I think it's about the kits."

"Who? Icekit, Duskkit, and Mistkit?" Breezefur asked.

"Yes, MoonClan told me this. Mist will rise and the rocks will fall. Dawn will turn to dusk. It's like a battle between fire and ice." Mintpaw replied.


	3. Chapter 2: Three new 'paws

Icekit's paws tingled with excitement. It was her apprentice ceremony! Duskkit was nervously waiting and Mistkit was puffing out her chest. Blossomheart padded over to her two kits with Berrytail.

"You two need to look the best you can be!" Blossomheart mewed, licking Icekit.

Icekit wriggled out of her mother's tongue,

"STOP! I'm good enough already!" Icekit complained, batting at her mom.

Lionstar strode up the Meeting Rock,

"Let all the cats in MeadowClan gather beneath the Meeting Rock for a Clan meeting!" Lionstar yowled.

Icekit sprang up and pelted for the rock with Duskkit and Mistkit hot at her heels. Blossomheart and Berrytail followed them proudly.

"Icekit, please step up," Lionstar meowed, beckoning Icekit to come.

Icekit bounced up to Lionstar with her head held high.

"Icekit, do you wish to serve your Clanmates and risk your life to defend them?" Lionstar questioned,

"I do!" Icekit promised,

"By the powers of MoonClan, I name you Icepaw. Your mentor shall be Breezefur!" Lionstar announced.

"Icepaw! Icepaw!" The Clan cheered, Breezefur touched Icepaw's nose,

"I'm so glad it's you!" Icepaw breathed,

"Me too!" Breezefur murmured happily.

Lionstar silenced the Clan with a wave of his tail.

"Duskkit, please step up," Lionstar meowed,

Duskkit nervously climbed up the Meeting Rock, her whiskers quivering with anticipation.

"Duskkit, do you wish to use your mind and create unpredictable items for your Clan?" Lionstar questioned; for he knew that Duskkit wanted to become an inventor.

"I… I do!" Duskkit mewed softly,

"By the powers of MoonClan, I name you Duskpaw! Your mentor shall be Crazystorm!" Lionstar announced.

A snicker from the back of the crowd sounded; it was Dawnpaw. Dawnpaw and her littermates, Rockpaw and Flamepaw, were made apprentices a moon earlier than Icepaw, Duskpaw, and Mistkit; soon to be Mistpaw. They were the trio's worst enemies. But Icepaw had to admit, having Crazystorm as her sister's mentor was pretty funny. Breezefur felt sympathetic for poor Duskpaw.

Crazystorm trotted awkwardly to Duskpaw and spat on her nose, Duskpaw inched away from her mentor.

"Duskpaw! Duskpaw!" The Clan cheered.

Duskpaw quickly slithered down the Meeting Rock and sat next to her mother in dismay.

"Mistkit, please step up!" Lionstar mewed,

Mistkit dashed up the Meeting Rock and purred loudly.

"Do you wish to serve your Clanmates and risk your life to defend them?" Lionstar questioned.

"I do." Mistkit mewed,

"By the powers of MoonClan, I name you Mistpaw! Your mentor shall be Sassytail!" Lionstar announced.

Sassytail sashayed over to Mistpaw and touched her nose.

"Icepaw! Duskpaw! Mistpaw!" the Clan roared.

The three new apprentices ducked their heads with embarrassment as their Clanmates cheered for them. Blossomheart and Berrytail hurried over.

"Congratulations! I'm so proud of both of you!" Blossomheart meowed. Berrytail purred and licked Mistpaw.

Treeheart and Nightjay padded over to congratulate their kits. The trio's mentors came over, and started talking to their parents. Dawnpaw noticed that that Duskpaw's parents were distracted and padded over to her nemesis.

"Hey, Duskpaw!" Dawnpaw hollored.

Duskpaw turned around. "Y… yes?" She whispered.

"Lionstar only chose Crazystorm as your mentor because he knew you'd be a stupid inventor!" Dawnpaw sneered.

Duskpaw's green eyes filled with tears, Icepaw stepped in.

"HEY! You don't dare bully my sister like that!" Icepaw hissed.

"Oh yeah? I'm older than you!" Dawnpaw retorted.

"Only by three moons!" Icepaw growled.

Flamepaw and Rockpaw stood beside their sister.

"Hah! Not to mention you'll be a terrible warrior! Branchwing is much more talented than his daughter!" Flamepaw spat.

Breezefur flicked her ears, for she was standing right behind Flamepaw.

"Oh really?" She growled, "Because I'd like to check in with my father about your behavior right now!"

Flamepaw took a step back, Dawnpaw and Rockpaw made their sneaky escape.

"Oh! Uh, hi B-Breezefur! Heh, heh…" Flamepaw stammered.

Flamepaw dashed off as soon as possible, Breezefur purred with amusement. Duskpaw shook the tears from her face, and Icepaw looked gratefully at her mentor.

"Don't worry little ones, I used to argue with Darkpelt all the time! He's such a pain in the tail." Breezefur commented.

Icepaw gave her mentor a growl of protest.

"I'm not a little one anymore! I'm going to be the best warrior I can be!" Icepaw declared.

"If you want to be the best warrior, you can start off by taking the ticks off of the elders!" Breezefur instructed.

"Oh…" Icepaw's ears drooped in disappointment.

Crazystorm loped over, Sassytail padding over to Mistpaw.

"Og norgaizing hte inventors' ned!" Crazystorm warbled.

Duskpaw nodded and dashed off the the inventors' den. Crazystorm looked pleased.

Sassytail glanced at Mistpaw.

"Okay, so like, you like have to go take disgusting ticks off and crack fleas for, like, the loser elders! Ugh, so old! Just don't come back to me like in a mess!" Sassytail snapped. Mistpaw rolled her eyes and headed over to Icepaw.

"Wow, if this is what a starting apprentice is like, I'm sure I'm not going to like it." Mistpaw muttered.

"Look on the bright side! At least we get to be with each other!" Icepaw mewed cheerfully; but even she agreed with Mistpaw.

When they got to the den, Swallowpelt asked, "Would you like to know about the first inventor cat?" Without waiting for an answer, he launched into the story. "There was a she-cat called Blossompelt. Your mother was named after her, youngster," He nodded at Icepaw, who was trying to rub mouse bile onto a giant tick. "She was watching the kits play-fight with each other and thought, 'Wouldn't it be great if kits had more to play with?' She saw a small bit of rolled-up moss. It was light and could be thrown around. And just like that, the moss-ball was created." Mistpaw was hypnotized. Icepaw purred and cracked a flea.

Meanwhile, Duskpaw was having the worst apprenticeship possible. Every time she went to Crazystorm's den, Crazystorm spat on her nose and warbled an order. Duskpaw was scared _she_ would go crazy too if this went on for too long.

Dawnpaw padded in the inventors' den. Duskpaw was busily organizing the muddling clay to notice her. In another pile, Duskpaw had organized the moss from the leaves and cobwebs. Dawnpaw on-purposely messed up the organized pile of plants.

"Oops! Sorry, didn't see that there!" Dawnpaw commented has she messed up the pile of moss.

"It's okay," Duskpaw mumbled, picking up the moss.

Dawnpaw smirked and walked out of the inventors' den. Duskpaw sadly cleaned up and when back to tearing apart muddling clay in dismay.

Mistpaw pelted out of the elders' den, stretching her paws. "Finally! I get to wash this stink off my paws!" she sighed, grimacing at the smell of the mouse bile.

Icepaw nodded and the two set off to wash their paws. The moor was quiet; the sun stretched its long finger-like rays across the grass, each tip shining with pride. The stream that flowed throughout each of the Clan territories was the closest to MeadowClan. Icepaw heard rushing water just a few pawsteps away while they were searching for the stream; even though it was foolish not to bring a warrior. As the pair of apprentices trotted alongside each other, Icepaw picked up a scent while washing her paws. LakeClan!

* * *

 **Cliiiifhanger! I'm so evil! Please R &R!**

 **~Dusksong of MeadowClan**


	4. Chapter 3: Trouble begins

"Hey, Mistpaw…" Icepaw meowed; she looked up from washing.

"Yes?" Mistpaw questioned, not looking up from the frigid stream.

"Do you smell anything… peculiar?" Icepaw narrowed her eyes, she waded into the stream; her fur drenched in ice cold water, just the way she liked it.

"For MoonClan sake, Icepaw, you're just overreacting," Mistpaw muttered.

Icepaw flicked her ears and shook her pelt as soon as got to the sandy bank. Icepaw bristled her fur as the itchy sand touched her pads; she flicked some towards Mistpaw.

"ICEPAW! What did you that for?" Mistpaw screeched.

"Sorry, this… yellow dirt is super itchy," Icepaw commented.

Mistpaw snorted. Icepaw heard a rustling sound from the cattails and reeds just a few fox-lengths away.

"Some cat's here!" Icepaw whispered, creeping towards the bushes. The crunching of the sand gave her location away.

"LakeClan! There's an intruder!" A voice growled from behind the bushes.

"Uh oh…" Icepaw groaned,

"Seriously Icepaw, SERIOUSLY!?" Mistpaw shrieked with dismay.

"I'm sor-" Icepaw started, "OOF!"

A brown she-cat bowled Icepaw over. Icepaw squealed as she raked her pelt. Two other cats pounced out of the reeds and charged to Mistpaw. Mistpaw fled for the heathers. But Icepaw was trapped underneath a brown pelt.

"Great, thanks a lot, Mistpaw!" Icepaw yowled as Mistpaw's tail disappeared.

"What were you thinking, foolish kit?" the brown she-cat who pinned Icepaw to the ground hissed.

"I'm not a kit!" Icepaw protested.

"You sure acted like one!" the she-cat snarled, her fishy breath rolling towards Icepaw.

"Let's make her death slow and painful," a tom suggested, "To show how LakeClan cats don't show mercy!"

"Oh yes, I can see it now. Beautiful pools of filthy MeadowClan blood," the she-cat said. The she-cat grasped her teeth around Icepaw's throat. Icepaw wailed and the she-cat released her grip, blood dripping from her teeth.

"Please, let me go! I was just apprenticed…" Icepaw rasped, but the she-cat bit down on Icepaw's throat again.

"Shut your trap or we'll-" the she-cat started.

"Or you will what, Woodwillow? Just tell me what you think your patrol could to do my apprentice?" Breezefur's voice growled softly as she led a patrol of five to take back Icepaw; Mistpaw was in that patrol.

"Breezefur, old friend," Woodwillow hissed.

"Nice to see you too," Breezefur mewed cooly, "Now, would you please let go of Icepaw."

Woodwillow hesitated.

"Come now, you're vastly outnumbered," Grassheart mewed, brushing against her daughter's pelt.

"Fine, you can have your stupid apprentice back, but next time, we will kill." Woodwillow vowed.

The menacing she-cat let go of poor Icepaw, who scrambled back to her Clan territory. Woodwillow's patrol disappeared and Breezefur flicked her tail.

"What in the name of MoonClan were you thinking?!" Breezefur screamed.

Icepaw shrunk down into a tiny ball. "I was curious and accidently crossed the border because the marks were stale."

"That is a terrible excuse!" Grassheart stated, her eyes turning to slits.

"But it's true! The scent of LakeClan could barely be scented when we went to wash our paws!" Mistpaw protested in the defense of her best friend.

"I understand that, but you two have a great punishment coming ahead. We are already enemies with LakeClan. We don't want to cause trouble," Grassheart soothed.

"Because of yourself, Icepaw, you could've gotten killed!" Flamepaw sneered, Icepaw's whiskers drooped; why did her mentor have to bring her nemesis on the patrol?

"Breezefur, what are we going to do about injuries? We can't assign Icepaw a hard task until she is healed." Grassheart murmured.

Breezefur examined Icepaw's bite. "It's just a nick, but don't worry, her punishment won't be hard." Breezefur hissed.

"Alright, if you say so," Grassheart muttered.

Icepaw just shrunk into a tight ball and no one noticed. Flamepaw grinned an evil smile. That was when Flamepaw noticed that he didn't see her anywhere. Mistpaw knew that she had shrunk and knew that Icepaw was still with them, she just was in her ball form.

"Alright we will talk to Sassytail about your punishment… Wait where is Icepaw?!" Grassheart yelped.

Breezefur was just trying to stifle a _mrww_ of laughter. Mistpaw wasn't the only cat who knew Icepaw inside and out.

"What is so funny?!" Flamepaw questioned.

"Mistpaw, do you care to explain?" Breezefur asked. Mistpaw looked down at the ball of fluff then to Breezefur and then back to her friend. Mistpaw sighed with annoyance.

"Whenever Icepaw is under too much stress, emotion, pressure, or tired, she will curl up into a tight ball to think. Now that she is in a ball you can't get rid of this form until she is done thinking. She will listen to your comments but you will never get a response until she comes out," Mistpaw explained. Breezefur nodded with approval. Grassheart just stared at the little ball of fluff.

Just before they left Icepaw finally got up and said that she was sorry. "I never meant to cause trouble. I guess I got to curious and that was what got me stuck with the she-cat trying to kill me," Icepaw confessed.

"Your apology is accepted but, you are going to have to explain this to your father when we get back to camp. MoonClan knows what he'll do to the both of us. And by the way, that ball of fluff tactic is not very helpful," Breezefur added.

"Yes, Breezefur," Icepaw dipped her head.

"What is their punishment?" Flamepaw asked gleefully on the way to the camp, "How about checking the elders for ticks! Or maybe confined to sleep in the nursery! Or how about… EXECUTION!"

Icepaw wanted to turn into her ball form again. Mistpaw cast a worried glance at Grassheart's thoughtful gaze.

"Interesting set of choices, Flamepaw, but I think Lionstar will choose what punishment Icepaw and Mistpaw will get." Grassheart replied, Flamepaw looked disappointed.

"B-but they crossed the border! Icepaw should've died anyway!" Flamepaw exclaimed.

"Flamepaw! That is a terrible thing to say! You are just like your arrogant sister! If you want a punishment too, I'll be glad to tell Lionstar myself!" Breezefur spat.

" _Sorry_ ," Flamepaw lowered his tail with a hint of annoyance.

As the patrol headed back to camp, an excited yowl came from the camp.

"The camp!" Grassheart gasped. "Let's go! They may under attack!"

The patrol rushed back to camp, only to find Lionstar and some other cats crammed in the nursery. Inventor cats and medicine cats were rushing back and forth. Mintpaw bounded up to her sister cheerfully,

"Heatherfur is having her kits! Lionstar is going to see his kits! They're the leader's kits!" Mintpaw squealed.

"Mintpaw! We need more borage leaves!" Mossflower called. Mintpaw dashed away.

Icepaw wriggled into the swarm of cats; she luckily got to the front. In the nursery, she saw three little scraps of fur huddled together. It was a cold leaf-fall afternoon and frigid air was sweeping in. Lionstar shouldered his way next to Icepaw.

"What should we name them?" Lionstar asked, sniffing the tortoiseshell she-cat.

"I want to name her Flowerkit," Heatherfur croaked. "Flowermist was my littermate. She died in the greencough outbreak last leafbare."

"Then I want this chestnut one to be Nutkit," Lionstar purred, nudging the kit towards her mother.

"I want the last one to be… Leafkit, for your mother, Lionstar," Heatherfur whispered, nudging the dark tabby.

Leafkit squeaked and opened his eyes. He stretched his green eyes wide and they stared right into Icepaw's. He purred and started crawling towards Icepaw.

"No little one, er… back to your mom!" Icepaw spoke feeling the pressure of the whole clan staring at her, nudging the kit towards the milk. To her relief, Leafkit squirmed back to his mother.

Breezefur entered the den,

"Lionstar, Sassytail and I need to talk with you." Breezefur mewed, glancing at Icepaw.

"Alright, I'm coming right out." Lionstar replied, he squeezed back out the nursery.

Icepaw's heart sank, she hoped Breezefur would go easy on her. But her friend had changed from a happy apprentice to a strict mentor. Icepaw snuck out the nursery and decided to eavesdrop on Breezefur and Lionstar. She crept towards the leader's den and slithered towards the back. Icepaw pressed her ear against the mossy walls.

"But Lionstar, they, like deserve a punishment. My like, stupid apprentice crossed like the border!" Sassytail snapped.

"I know, but they were just apprenticed! They couldn't know any better! Please Lionstar, let them go!" Breezefur pleaded.

Icepaw's eyes turned watery; her friend was defending her! Their friendship wasn't lost.

"Alright, I'll let them go for your sake Breezefur, but only this once!" Lionstar replied sharply.

"Thank you!" Breezefur exclaimed, she hurried out the den to find Icepaw next to it.

"Uh… hi Breezefur!" Icepaw greeted awkwardly.

"Were you eavesdropping?" Breezefur narrowed her eyes.

"I'm sorry," Icepaw shifted her paws, "You can punish me if you'd like. You didn't have to beg Lionstar to let me and Mistpaw go."

Breezefur broke into a purr,

"Of course I'd beg Lionstar! Haven't you forgotten, we're friends! I'd never betray my loyalty to you!" Breezefur rubbed against her best friend.

Icepaw teared up, she nuzzled Breezefur back,

"Also, Lionstar and I agreed you could come to the Gathering with Mistpaw and Duskpaw! Sassytail had a bit of a temper though." Breezefur added.

"Thank you!" Icepaw breathed. "You're the best mentor ever!"


	5. Chapter 4: The gathering

Icepaw felt Breezefur's prickly pelt brush against her. She shuddered as the night wind swept throughout the valley. The moon was full and as bright as the stars around it. Icepaw had once been told about the cat trapped in the moon. Swiftstripe had taken the role of telling the kits stories.

"Are you cold?" Breezefur asked, she fluffed up her fur.

"No," Icepaw replied. She was oddly fond of freezing temperature.

"Good, get ready to wrinkle your nose. The other Clans have a foul smelling scent." Breezefur purred. "We're going to the Four Stones. The Clan leaders each stand on a stone. The deputies sit next to the stone with the medicine cats. The inventor cats sit near them."

Icepaw purred and trotted up to Duskpaw and Mistpaw. She squeezed in between them.

"Are you excited? I have to thank Breezefur for bailing us out!" Mistpaw breathed,

"Yeah, you were pretty rabbit-brained to cross the border," Duskpaw joked.

"Show some littermate loyalty will ya?" Icepaw teased, poking Duskpaw on the ribs.

A fishy scent invaded the moor. Icepaw could tell it was from LakeClan. She suddenly realized they were close to the Four Stones. When MeadowClan cluttered in, so did the other Clans. Breezefur had introduced some cats to Icepaw, and Icepaw soon learned the names of the four Clans, MeadowClan, LakeClan, OwlClan, and StormClan. Lionstar and the three other leaders leaped up onto their stones.

"Bye!" Duskpaw said, trotting to the place where the inventor cats were sitting. The leaders waved their tails for silence.

"We shall let the Gathering begin," Lionstar announced, quieting every cat down, "May I go first?" The other leaders murmured in agreement.

"Thank you. This Leaf-fall, MoonClan has brought us plenty of fresh-kill and new, fresh cats. We have three new apprentices, Mistpaw, Duskpaw, and Icepaw!" Lionstar meowed.

The other Clans gave half-hearted cheers, and MeadowClan cheered the loudest.

"We have also been patrolling our borders more often, so cats don't cross the border and threaten to kill." Lionstar added grimly, glaring at the LakeClan's leader; Streamstar.

Streamstar stiffened,

"I'm sorry, Lionstar. Woodwillow and Rushcloud have been exiled to DumbClan for their constant threats to kill young cats. But, we will also keep watch just in case any other of your warriors set paw on our territory." Streamstar replied cooly.

DumbClan was the clan with a small territory near LakeClan, where cats were exiled to.

Lionstar stayed silent.

"Any good news, Streamstar?" Shadestar, the OwlClan leader, hissed, his impatient tail flicked to and fro.

Streamstar stayed silent.

"Alright, then I'll go." Shadestar declared, "Leaf-fall has brought us many resources for OwlClan. We can cope with the weather and we are swarming with young, fine cats. OwlClan is looking at a secure leaf-bare."

"Us too." Lichenstar, the leader of StormClan, agreed.

As Lichenstar talked on, Icepaw's mind blurred at the sight of so many cats. Mistpaw leaned towards her.

"Lichenstar talks a lot!" Mistpaw whispered, "I wonder what he talks about."

"Well if you listen, then you can find out!" a StormClan cat spat, glaring at the two apprentices.

Mistpaw rolled her eyes,

"Ugh, StormClan cats." she muttered.

"I want to be just like Lionstar. Being up there and leading the Clan!" Icepaw mewed. She looked around.

"Be quiet!" a cream-colored LakeClan tom hissed.

Icepaw and Mistpaw decided to stay silent. If they couldn't behave at a Gathering, who knows what Lionstar might do?

"Why does he have to be so pushy?" Icepaw whispered. Mistpaw said nothing.

Lionstar waved his tail. "I call this Gathering to an end!" he yowled.

The leaders leaped down from the Four Stones and lead their Clans back to their own territory. Mistpaw moaned, "The Gathering was BORING!"

"No it wasn't! I heard everything! You were just so chatty," Icepaw snorted.

"Oh really? Then how come I was talking to you? You just want to brag about how good you are! You got the mentor you wanted! What about me?!" Mistpaw hissed; she bounded away to Treeheart.

Icepaw lowered her head. She felt terrible and like a kit. Mistpaw was right, she did brag a little, but not a lot. Icepaw lifted her chin. Mistpaw was too sensitive!

"How was the Gathering?" Breezefur asked, brushing against Icepaw.

"It was okay," Icepaw muttered.

"Great!" Breezefur purred. She padded ahead and started to chat with a OwlClan cat.

Greenleap walked next to Icepaw.

"You talked too much at the Gathering," Greenleap growled, his white hairs bristling with annoyance. Icepaw knew he'd be moving into the elders' den soon.

"Sorry, it was my first time!" Icepaw protested, her pelt pricking with anger. Why did every cat have to blame her?

"That's okay young'un, when I was your age, I couldn't stop talkn' either," Greenleap commented.

"But I got in trouble twice! That's bad enough already!" Icepaw hissed with anger. She glared at Greenleap and dashed for the camp.

"ICEPAW! You have to wait!" Lionstar howled, but Icepaw was already bounding away, ignoring the yowls of her clan mates behind her.

Lionstar galloped after her. Once Icepaw reached the camp, she rushed in and curled up in the apprentices' den, her thoughts racing around so fast that it made her dizzy. Mistpaw stalked on in, barely glancing at Icepaw. What a friend! Maybe I should apologize...Icepaw thought.

"I'm sorry-" Icepaw began,

"Save it." Mistpaw spat.

Icepaw stared at her friend's silvery pelt in the moonlight.

* * *

 **Okay, so did you like the first few chapters? I'll update regularly and don't forget to R &R!  
In the next chapter, there will be a little drama involving Icepaw and Mistpaw.**

 **~Dusksong of MeadowClan**


	6. Chapter 5: Icepaw's battle training

Morning light spilled through the camp and into the apprentices' den. Icepaw felt the warm light touch her fur. She stirred in her nest and forced her sleepy eyes to open. She set her head down in dismay as she saw Mistpaw's nest empty. Breezefur poked in.

"Hey Icepaw, come on out I need to talk with you," Breezefur mewed.

Icepaw got up and dragged her long tail across the ground. _Is Breezefur going to yell at me because of the Gathering again?_ she thought wearily. The two friends walked into the heather. Heather dust tickled Icepaw's nose.

"Tell me everything that's been happening." Breezefur demanded. Her violet eyes blazed with impatience.

Icepaw gulped in some air. "Well… here it goes. I'm so disappointed that I got in trouble at the Gathering and everything has been going downhill for me and I got into a fight with Mistpaw and I don't think she'll forgive me and Lionstar caught me running away and… and… that's all," Icepaw gasped; she forced the painful truth out of her mouth.

Breezefur touched her tail to Icepaw's flank. "Don't worry, it's all apart of developing a good friendship," Breezefur mewed, her eyes filled with empathy.

"You don't understand." Icepaw turned her head to face away from Breezefur.

"Of course I do! Do you remember the kit who loved to play with me? Do you remember the moss-ball games and the arguments? Do you remember when we tried to avoid being caught by your dad, Nightjay?" Breezefur questioned, "I remember. I will always remember. I always cherish the times we spent together. I organized this patrol so we could do that."

"You… you did this for...me?" Icepaw gasped. She was touched that someone actually cared. She was so happy that she felt liked she could run off the face of the earth.

"I did, and will always." Breezefur murmured, she nuzzled her friend, "C'mon! I have something fun planned out! Here comes Sassytail!" The white she-cat brought Mistpaw with her. Icepaw's stomach flipped.

"So like, I'll just like leave her like here. Like, bye!" Sassytail mewed, sashaying away.

"We're going to do a bit of hunting and some battle training!" Breezefur finally announced, once Sassytail had left. "Let's go to the Squirrel Meadows!"

"What's that?" Icepaw asked.

"There's lots of ground squirrels there!" Breezefur replied.

As soon as they arrived, Mistpaw dashed away, leaving her to hunt by herself. A while later, Breezefur came back with a squirrel dangling from her jaws. Mistpaw had one too, but it looked scrawny. Icepaw stood proudly by her two squirrels. Mispaw glared at Icepaw.

"Okay. Let's get training!" Breezefur mewed cheerfully once they had buried their kill.

Icepaw's heart fluttered. Her first battle! She glanced at Mistpaw. Her eyes were burning with rage. Icepaw's whiskers drooped. Why her?

"I'll first show you some MeadowClan moves." Breezefur instructed. "This first move is called The Tornado. It requires agility and speed. Not too much strength. The Tornado is where you run in a tight circle around your opponent to confuse them when they are trapped. You want to tighten the circle as you run, make sure to not let any part of your body be seen; otherwise, the opponent can latch on and slow you down. That defense is called The Latch, but we won't get into that today. Now, when you have your opponent trapped, you want to lash out and hit him or her. The more you hit the opponent, the easier it is to get them to retreat." Breezefur suddenly turned into a tornado of black fur. She stopped and halted at Icepaw.

"You try it on Mistpaw," Breezefur commanded.

Icepaw ran around Mistpaw, but she was sort of visible.

"FASTER!" Breezefur yowled.

Icepaw ran faster, soon she was a tornado. Mistpaw was backing away, looking frantically around. Icepaw purred; it was working! Icepaw slowed down a little; she lashed a paw at Mistpaw's cheek. Her sheathed paw slapping Mistpaw and leaving a red mark. Mistpaw hissed with rage; she tried to claw Icepaw but missed and caught a ball of fur.

"Stop!" Breezefur growled. Icepaw skidded to a halt.

"Wonderful work Icepaw!" Breezefur purred. Icepaw puffed out her chest proudly. Mistpaw scowled.

"Alright. I'll teach you another move." Breezefur added, "This one is called The Downhill Attack. You want to be on top of a hill, and your opponent must be on the bottom; otherwise it won't work. Once you are in place, you want to bowl the opponent over and pin them down. Try raking their belly if possible."

Breezefur led the apprentices to a small hill, she climbed on top and pounced. Breezefur tumbled down and raked the grass into a million shreds. She landed in front of Mistpaw.

"Mistpaw, attack Icepaw." Breezefur instructed.

Mistpaw gleefully padded up the hill. She crouched down and lashed her tail back in forth.

"Tuck your hind legs in more!" Breezefur called, Mistpaw shifted.

Mistpaw snarled and leaped towards Icepaw. She knocked the wind out of her friend. Icepaw gasped for breath as she pretended to claw Icepaw's pelt. Mistpaw's eyes were filled with rage. Icepaw struggled to get up. Icepaw took her free paw and sliced at Mistpaw's eye. Screeching in pain, Mistpaw staggered backwards, black blood spilling from her eye. Icepaw gasped in horror. What had she done?! Mistpaw lunged towards Icepaw. She snarled and grasped Icepaw's throat with her paws. Breezefur bounded in front of Mistpaw before she could attack Icepaw.

"STOP!" Breezefur yowled, Mistpaw skidded to a halt.

"Icepaw! What in the name of MoonClan do you think you were doing?! This is not a real battle!" Breezefur spat.

Mistpaw hissed. "Honestly Icepaw, I don't know what to say! I thought we were friends! But now, I… I HATE YOU! YOU RUINED MY LOOKS!" Mistpaw wailed.

"I'm so sorry…" Icepaw whispered.

"SORRY IS JUST A WORD!" Mistpaw shrieked.

"Calm down you two! Mistpaw, I'm taking you to the medicine den, Icepaw, go to Lionstar!" Breezefur hollered. "And next time we battle train, KEEP YOUR CLAWS SHEATHED!"

Icepaw lowered her head; her tail dragged to the ground. Mistpaw leaned against Breezefur, her blood staining the prickly grass. When the patrol arrived at camp with their kill, Berrytail caught a glimpse of her bloody daughter.

"My beautiful kit! What happened?!" Berrytail squealed.

"It's that stupid Icepaw! She did this to me! I deserved Breezefur as a mentor! She's a piece of mouse dung! A fox-heart!" Mistpaw growled with so much rage.

Icepaw walked up to Mistpaw but she couldn't find her. All she saw was fog. She stepped into the fog, yowling, "Mistpaw! I…" Suddenly Icepaw felt dizzy. As the world rocked around her, she staggered out of the mist. She laid down and waited for the world to stop spinning.

"Are you okay?" Breezefur was worried. She prodded Icepaw, who mumbled something.

"Icepaw, I said are you okay?" Breezefur mewed.

"Huh? Oh yeah…" Icepaw muttered.

"I'm sorry about what happened today, that wasn't supposed to happen! I thought this would turn out well. Now, because of me, you and Mistpaw will be angry at each other forever!" Breezefur sighed and lowered her head.

"No, don't blame yourself Breezefur. It was me. If I hadn't scratched Mistpaw, I bet things would've been better." Icepaw muttered, shifting her paws.

Lionstar stalked angrily out of the den.

"ICEPAW!" he hissed. "COME TO THE LEADER'S DEN, NOW!"

Icepaw padded quickly to angry Lionstar. Lionstar's eyes were glazed and in slits.

"Icepaw, I need you to apologize to your denmate." Lionstar growled, his lip curling into a snarl.

"Yes Lionstar." Icepaw mewed glumly.

Icepaw padded out the leader's den and found Mistpaw gossiping with Duskpaw. Icepaw trotted over; it was a pretty slow trot.

"Hey Mistpaw I just wanted to say I'm sorry."

"Yeah right. Like you're sorry!" Mistpaw growled.

"Please forgive me." Icepaw begged

"No."

"I just want it to go back to the way things used to be." Icepaw whispered

"Whatever, just leave me alone."

Icepaw and Mistpaw parted and Icepaw went back to Lionstar.

"Now, your punishment is to hunt from the afternoon to dusk." Lionstar ordered gravely.

"Wait! I must go with her to! I deserve just the punishment! I was foolish enough to think battle-training without Sassytail was a good idea!" Breezefur suggested, interrupting the conversation.

Lionstar narrowed his eyes,

"Very well, you may go."

"Thank you!" Breezefur dipped her head.

Breezefur led Icepaw out of camp, Icepaw leaned against her mentor. Breezefur shook her off and bounded over a dead tree. She growled playfully at Icepaw.

"C'mon, slowpoke! Let's hunt!" Breezefur meowed, leaping into the heather.

* * *

 **Chapter 6 will involve Icepaw's pride, Crazystorm, and a fat chicken (not necessarily in order).  
** **Please R &R!**

 **~Dusksong of MeadowClan**


	7. Chapter 6: Chickens!

"Follow me! I know the best place to hunt! It's also the easiest place to hunt." Breezefur shouted.

Icepaw didn't reply but obeyed and followed Breezefur. A light breeze carried throughout the moor. Breezefur climbed over a fence that was made by the Twolegs.

"Uh, Breezefur, what are we doing at the farm?" Icepaw asked.

"We're going to hunt chickens." Breezefur mewed firmly.

"C… chickens?!" Icepaw choked.

"Yes."

"You mean to say that we are going to hunt those fat, flightless, dumb birds?" Icepaw tipped her head.

"Yes, that's why it is the best and easiest place to hunt! But we have to do it sparingly or else the Twolegs will notice and will search for us. We usually hunt here the most during leaf-bare, and every now and then when prey is scarce." Breezefur replied. "Right now, many of the birds we catch are leaving and the rabbits are beginning to hole up in their dens. Meadowclan must stay strong, and one chicken is enough to feed almost half the Clan."

"Okay," Icepaw mumbled. Suddenly the chickens started clucking loudly. They had noticed the cats. There was a creaking sound and a Twoleg emerged, yelping with high-pitched sounds when it noticed them.

"Let's get out of here. Quick! We've been too loud!" Breezefur commanded, ducking under the fence and dashing away.

"Wait!" Icepaw yowled. "There's a scent of a chicken that escaped!"

Breezefur halted, tasting the air. "You're right! Let's follow the scent and maybe hunt a rabbit on the way. And practice your running."

"Okay," Icepaw mewed.

The warrior and apprentice dashed over the hills. The two cats soon found the source of the chicken scent. An extremely fat chicken was wandering near two figures. It was Crazystorm and Duskpaw, and by the looks of it Crazystorm was trying to explain how to kill the chicken.

Icepaw ran towards the chicken and scratched it. The chicken looked back and began to peck Icepaw, who yowled in pain.

"Icepat!" Crazystorm screamed. "Ikil eth chicken yb vaoiding tis heda!"

Icepaw grunted but didn't listen. An inventor couldn't tell her what to do! Icepaw ducked as the fat chicken swung its head angrily at her. The chicken flapped its wings and dove at Icepaw. The chicken pecked Icepaw's flank and Icepaw recoiled. The chicken pecked her once more. Icepaw screeched in agony. Blood clinged to Icepaw's silver tabby and light blue tinged pelt and the red liquid trickled from her mouth.

"Great MoonClan!" Breezefur sighed. "Better help my apprentice."

Breezefur bolted towards the clucking, fat, feathered monstrosity that was busily pecking at Icepaw. Breezefur unsheathed her claws and scratched the chickens feathered backside. Icepaw rose to her paws and together, the mentor and apprentice clawed the chicken to death. Icepaw wiped sweat from her bloody pelt.

"Whew! That chicken sure put up a fight!" Icepaw commented.

Out of the blue, the chicken jumped up and clucked. Breezefur screamed and cracked its neck. The chicken collapsed and laid in an awkward position.

"Fat piece of DumbClan dung!" Breezefur cursed, her eyes wild with rage.

"Well, at least you killed it," Icepaw said.

"Crazystorm tried to help. He said, 'Kill the chicken by avoiding its head!' It's going to peck you otherwise." Duskpaw commented.

"Coem no," Crazystorm warbled, "Lte's tge oyu to teh mdecnie dene!"

"Come on. Let's get you to the medicine den!" Duskpaw translated.

With Crazystorm leading the way, the patrol dragged the chicken back to camp. "Huryr pu, we ened ot etg bakc to acmp as oson sa posislb!" Crazystorm warbled.

"Hurry up, we need to get back to camp as soon as possible!" Duskpaw translated again.

The patrol pushed through the camp barrier silently. Mistpaw was too busy talking to Sassytail to notice that Duskpaw and Icepaw had entered together. Mossflower dropped the yarrow she was carrying across the camp.

"What in the name of MoonClan happened to you two?" Mossflower squeaked.

"I gauth a chicken!" Icepaw mewed through muffled feathers.

"Well, you better drop that fat bird and get healed." Mossflower mewed, purring with amusement. "Mintpaw! Bring in some marigold and cobwebs!"

Breezefur's sister hurried over with a mouthful of herbs. All the young toms mooned over the pretty apprentice with dreamy eyes as she whisked past them.

Mintpaw inspected Breezefur, then began to lick Breezefur's wounds and place cobwebs and ointment. "OW!" Breezefur wailed, poking at the wound Mintpaw had cleaned. "Watch where you're putting those cobwebs!"

"Well, you're not a medicine cat! How are you supposed to know where to put it?" Mintpaw challenged.

Mossflower chuckled. "Ah, littermate rivalry. How amusing." Icepaw grinned; she and her sister had arguments, too. And with Mistpaw, her friend. Thinking about Mistpaw made her feel sad again, on top of the sting of her wounds.

"Well, looks like you're wound is healed, don't put pressure on it for a few days," Mossflower instructed.

"Thanks, Mossflower!" Breezefur mewed, trotting away to the fresh-kill pile.

"I smell blood!" Blossomheart announced, her head poking out of the inventor cat den. When she saw her kit covered in blood, she let out a wail and ran to Icepaw, covering her in licks.

"Okay, okay! Thanks, Blossomheart, you can stop now!" Icepaw mumbled.

"No, you're not okay! This wound feels hot!" Mintpaw yowled. "You're more injured than Breezefur! I should've treated you first, and now we're out of marigold!"

"Calm down, Mintpaw," Mossflower said. "Remember the other herbs for infection?"

Mintpaw calmed down a little and replied, "Chervil and horsetail!" She headed into the medicine den and came out with chervil and horsetail in her jaws and her paws covered in cobweb. She chewed the leaves as she licked Icepaw's wounds some more for good measure. Her paws flew over the wounds, spreading ointment and wrapping cobweb.

"Wow, you're really good at this!" Icepaw said, admiring Mintpaw's handiwork.

"I've been training for nine moons already," Mintpaw replied bashfully.

"Okay, enough chatting," Mossflower said. "Mistpaw is coming for celandine for her eye. And Icepaw, you won't need a poppy seed, but I'd like to see you rest for at least one day for the infection and the deep cut."

"Fine," Icepaw grumbled. She headed for the fresh-kill pile, surprised there was only a scrawny sparrow and the chicken. Most of the MeadowClan cats were in a ring around it, waiting for the elders to take their share. Swiftstripe took the sparrow and a chicken wing and the elders left.

"Who caught the chicken?" Honeypelt asked.

Breezefur opened her jaws to reply, but Icepaw quickly said, "I did! I should get a piece as a reward!" Icepaw trotted towards the fresh-kill pile and tore off the remaining chicken wing.

"STOP!" Lionstar's angry voice stopped Icepaw in her tracks. "Heatherfur needs her share first! Icepaw, you will get your share _last!_ " Icepaw, remembering that elders _and_ queens eat first, dropped the chicken wing. Lionstar picked it up and walked into the nursery, his tail lashing.

"Besides, you didn't kill that fat chicken. Without Breezefur, it would've pecked you to death!" Duskpaw snapped.

"Um...well…" Icepaw mumbled. She could feel the pressure of all of MeadowClan staring at her.

When Lionstar came out of the nursery, Breezefur said, "Actually, I killed the chicken, but Icepaw helped."

Duskpaw said, "I agree. I saw."

Nightjay yowled, "Enough squabbling! Senior warriors, take your share!" Greenleap and took their share and left. Then the other warriors patiently waited as each took their share. After Mistpaw and Duskpaw took a piece of chicken to share, Icepaw looked, disappointed, at the tiny piece of chicken left. It was hardly enough to feed a two-moon-old kit!

Greenleap, noticing Icepaw sulking, said, "You know, many of the others took less than what would make them full!" The only thing Icepaw did to reply was grumble and find a place to eat her crumb of chicken.

* * *

 **Okay, that is Icepaw's flaw. Pride. The next chapter is in Mintpaw's (Breezefur's sister and a med cat apprentice) POV.  
** **Please R &R!**

 **~Dusksong of MeadowClan (Oh jeez, my OCD is acting up for some reason so bye)**


	8. Chapter 7: The all-clan omen

The next day, Mintpaw was sharing a rabbit with Breezefur. "Going to the Moontree today, aren't you?" Breezefur asked.

"Well...yes," Mintpaw said, thinking about the grand tree between LakeClan and OwlClan territory, a gateway to MoonClan. "You want me to look for more omens?"

"Yes," Breezefur said through a mouthful of rabbit. "Find out more about the prophecy!"

"Okay, I'm going tonight." Mintpaw said, getting up and padding to the medicine den to sort out the herbs. She noticed a commotion outside the apprentice's den, and padded over there instead. Icepaw was sitting on her nest with a vine wrapped tightly around her leg, just over the deep cut from the chicken yesterday. The cobwebs had been ripped out and there were drops of the chervil-and-horsetail poultice on the ground. In addition, the vine had ripped the flesh in the cut even further.

"-get the medicine cat!" Mallowleaf was saying. Mossflower, noticing the commotion, padded over.

"Mintpaw, get the cobweb, chervil, and horsetail!" Mossflower yowled. "And some feverfew!

Icepaw, her eyes feverishly bright, said, "No! I don't need any of it! Other cats deserve it more!"

"No. This cut is even more infected than yesterday!" Mintpaw mewed, dashing into the medicine den and carrying out some cobweb, chervil, horsetail, and feverfew.

"Mintpaw, you know I can handle a little infection! Others need it more than I do!" Icepaw protested stubbornly.

Mintpaw ignored the stubborn yowls of Icepaw and the mooning toms. She spat out the leaves and clawed off the vine. "It's not a little infection! This is serious! If I don't heal this you could get greencough!" Mintpaw snapped. She chewed up the chervil and horsetail and spread it all on the deep cut, then wrapped the cobweb. Mossflower nodded in approval as Mintpaw said confidently, "Now eat those feverfew leaves."

Icepaw sighed and licked up the herbs. "I'm tired,"

"Good, go rest in the medicine den, I'll give you some poppy seeds and thyme." Mossflower instructed.

Icepaw nodded and slowly padded to the medicine den. She swayed on her paws as she slightly closed her eyes. Mossflower followed the weary apprentice and started fumbling about in the den. Breezefur twitched her whiskers.

"Are you going to tell Mossflower about the prophecy?" Breezefur questioned.

"No, not yet." Mintpaw's eyes glowed, "Only when the time is right."

That night, Mintpaw and Mossflower prepared to travel to the Moontree. The Moontree is a tree where when cats die, an imprint of their soul forms a new leaf on the tree. The tree is protected by MoonClan's magic, so it's practically indestructible.

Mossflower spat a few traveling herbs in front of Mintpaw. "Eat these." Mintpaw sniffed the stinking traveling herbs; she scrunched up her nose as she licked up the bitter leaves.

After eating the leaves, Mossflower nodded to Mintpaw.

"Let's go, we can't keep MoonClan waiting."

Mintpaw rose to her paws and Mossflower led Mintpaw out of the camp. The warm scent of rabbit tickled Mintpaw's nose, Mossflower's freshly wrapped rabbit-in-a-leaf. Snowpelt's handy invention had helped the Clan throughout last harsh leaf-bare. The sun's long fingers reached down to the prickly grass. Rays of heat splashed onto Mintpaw's back. Mintpaw closed her eyes and a light breeze swooped in.

The two medicine cats walked for a while in silence, following the stream to where the other medicine cats were waiting for them. They exchanged greetings and soon were at the Cave of the Moontree.

"Wait," Mossflower said. "There is something to do first,"

"I, Mossflower, medicine cat of MeadowClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on this apprentice. She has trained hard to understand the ways of a medicine cat, and with your help she will serve MeadowClan for many moons. Mintpaw, do you promise to uphold the ways of a medicine cat, to stand apart from rivalry between Clan and Clan and to protect all cats equally, even at the cost of your life?" Mossflower said.

Mintpaw, tingling with excitement, said, "I do,"

"Then by the powers of MoonClan I give you your true name as a medicine cat. Mintpaw, from this moment you will be known as Mintfur. MoonClan honors your quick thought and kindness, and we welcome you as a full medicine cat of MeadowClan." Mossflower murmured, resting her muzzle on Mintfur's head. Mintfur licked Mossflower's shoulder.

The other medicine cats cheered, "Mintfur! Mintfur!"

Mintfur settled next to the tree, pressing her nose onto the firm bark of the tree. The world disappeared and she found herself sitting next to a pool, the other Clan medicine cats sitting there as well. Four starry cats were sitting across the pool: a wiry mouse-brown she-cat, a sleek light brown tom, a muscular orange tabby tom, and a silver tabby she-cat.

"Last leaf-bare was hard," the mouse-brown she-cat said. A shiver passed through all the medicine cats as they remembered the greencough outbreak last leaf-bare. Mintfur had been a new apprentice then. She remembered the crowded medicine den filled with coughing cats and Flowermist, the pretty tortoiseshell, staring up at her with glassy eyes. She remembered Rabbitfoot and Petalcloud laying there, dead, in their nest. A wave of sadness rushed over her.

"Darkness is coming," the silver tabby murmured. "This leaf-bare shall be the calm before the storm," Mintfur saw Lightpaw shiver in fright.

"More cats are needed to fight the darkness," the light brown tom said. "Medicine cats can now have mates and kits. But you have to treat all cats equally, including your kits."

The orange tabby tom murmured, "The Clan she-cats have received our blessing," The world began to fade, but a living tortoiseshell she-cat not far from the cats caught her eye. The last thing she saw were the two green pinpoints of the cat's eyes, the faint scent of MeadowClan floating in the air.

Mintfur forced open her eyes, still weary from the dream. All the medicine cats were in a state of shock.

"Well," Splashleaf commented. "Sounds like we should expand the nursery!"

"Who were those cats?" Lightpaw asked.

"The first leaders of the Clans," Marshnose said. "Meadowstar, Lakestar, Owlstar, and Stormstar,"

"Wow…" Lightpaw murmured.

Mintfur unruffled her fur. Mossflower brushed against her, her eyes shining in the dim cave. Drops of water fell from the stalactites.

"It is about time we leave," Splashleaf murmured. The medicine cats rose to their paws.

Mintfur felt awkward. Medicine cats could mate? What about the prophecy? Mossflower narrowed her eyes, she cast an amusing glance at Mintfur.

"Bet all the toms will start to moon and impress you," Mossflower sighed, nudging Mintfur.

"Shut up." Mintfur growled.

"When shall we announce this code?" Honeytail, the OwlClan medicine cat, asked.

"When the time is right." Mossflower mewed. "We announce this at the Gathering."

"Mossflower?" Mintfur asked. "I saw a MeadowClan tortoiseshell she-cat with what I think was emerald green eyes. Anyway I'm sure she's a living cat."

"Well, the only cats who look like that are Duskpaw and Blossomheart. I think that Duskpaw could be the cat you saw, as Blossomheart has light green eyes, and also because Blossomheart is far down the path of being an inventor cat," Mossflower said. "We can discuss this later."

* * *

 **Oh no...here comes the KIT ERA!  
Okay, okay, maybe you think Duskpaw is a Mary sue (whatever on the spelling, grammar, etc. of Mary sue). But she does have flaws and I honestly think Icepaw is more of one. My friend (the one who's most like Icepaw) keeps trying to put good things about Icepaw. Duskpaw is SHY, for goodness' sake, and she is, like, the WORST HUNTER AND FIGHTER IN THE (warriors) WORLD. Now I sound like Sassytail.**

 **~Dusksong of MeadowClan**


	9. Chapter 8: Trouble with vines

Icepaw was sitting in the medicine den just as the sun set, patiently waiting as Mossflower, who had just returned from the Moontree. She sniffed for any infection that might still be in the wound. Icepaw was starting to lose her patience, because as far as she knew she wasn't getting out of the den anytime soon. Her paws were itching to go outside and run around in the moor. She wanted to hunt, patrol, and have fun with her clanmates.

"You are fine, but I still don't want you to push yourself too hard. Rest for a day or two." Mossflower mewed gently when she was done. Icepaw just dipped her head, satisfied that she could finally stretch her legs again. She bounded out of the den happily, and started to mingle with other cats.

Duskpaw hated her sister. Icepaw claimed that she had caught the chicken. When Dawnpaw and her littermates said that if she was to help the clan that day she wouldn't do anything, saying she was a waste of a cat. What they had said was insulting. Yet her main source of rage was for Icepaw. She didn't think the clan realized it, but that night after everyone went to sleep, she had grown vines and wrapped it around her sister's leg, the one that had been infected pretty badly. The vines had ripped off the cobwebs and poultice to make the cut even deeper and infected even more. Seeing her sister in pain would satisfy her enough to make her stop feeling angry at herself.

Yet when she saw her sister sick and weak, it made her feel guilty. It didn't make her life happy. She almost wanted to tell Icepaw that she was the one who had made that wound deeper. Then what? She thought to herself. Would her sister go to Lionstar and rattle her out? No, that wasn't the cat she knew. She knew that Icepaw would want a reason why she did what she had done. But Duskpaw always tried to be a nice littermate, but Icepaw's pride always got in the way. Could she ever make Icepaw see what she had to go through? What would her sister do? As Duskpaw sat in her nest thinking, Dawnpaw padded in.

"It was you wasn't it?" she hissed into Duskpaw's ear.

"I did what?"

"You were the one who hurt your sister yesterday, weren't you?" Dawnpaw replied with a smirk on her face.

"H… how do you know?" Duskpaw whispered.

"Huh, well it was pretty obvious that the vine just came out of the ground where you were sitting, Dirtpaw." Dawnpaw sniggered.

"L… leave me a… alone!" Duskpaw weeped; fat tears streamed down her cheeks.

"Not a chance- AHHHHH!" Dawnpaw shrieked as a thorny vine crawled up her leg.

"NO! STOP!" Duskpaw pleaded through squeezed shut eyes.

"Get it off me! DIRTPAW! YOU PIECE OF CROWFOOD!" Dawnpaw screamed.

Duskpaw fluffed up her fur; she trembled with fear. The thorny vine retreated back into the ground. The Clan went silent. Flamepaw turned to face his sister. Icepaw stared as Duskpaw was cowering before her nemesis. Blossomheart came rushing out the inventors' den, and Lionstar strode into the clearing.

"What in the name of MoonClan is going on?!" Lionstar demanded. No cat answered.

"Didn't anyone hear me?!" Lionstar's voice thundered, "I said what in the name of MoonClan is going on?!"

"It's obvious, isn't it?" Flamepaw sneered, "Duskpaw was trying to kill my sister."

"Is that true, Duskpaw?" Blossomheart said with shock and worry.

"No, Blossomheart. I wasn't trying to kill Dawnpaw," Duskpaw mewed.

"She was! She summoned a vine trying to kill me!" Dawnpaw wailed, looking at her bloody paw.

"Really? A magical vine? How pathetic, Dawnpaw!" Mistpaw sneered.

"Looks as if Dawnpaw attacked herself," Nightjay mewed thoughtfully. "My daughter doesn't have any blood on her!"

"Nonsense! Your _poor_ excuse for a daughter obviously tried to kill my _lovely_ daughter!" Cherryleaf snarled, flattening her ears and unsheathing her claws.

"It...it was an accident!" Duskpaw wailed. She paused for a moment, uncertain what to say. "Dawnpaw was bullying me, and I lost control!"

"Liar!" Cherryleaf leaped onto Duskpaw, snarling. Poor Duskpaw was horrible at fighting, and couldn't even touch the snarling, hissing whirlwind of fury.

"STOP!" Lionstar yowled. Cherryleaf didn't stop. "I SAID, STOP!"

"Fine!" Cherryleaf growled. "Let this _murderer_ kill the entire Clan!" Duskpaw was lying on the ground, and her pelt was streaked with blood. The ground was red around her. Mintfur was there almost instantly with goldenrod and cobweb.

"CHERRYLEAF!" Lionstar was furious. "TRYING TO KILL A CLANMATE IS NEVER A GOOD THING!" He calmed down a little. "Your punishment shall be to stay in the camp for two moons. And make yourself useful! You shall have your share of prey last. Finchwing is not allowed to help you!"

"Y-yes," Cherryleaf mumbled, her tail drooping. It was obvious that she was planning to let her mate, Finchwing, share his share of prey with her.

Mintfur finished wrapping the cobweb around Duskpaw's wounds, then grabbed Duskpaw by the scruff and dragged her into the medicine den. Duskpaw moaned with pain. Mintfur quickly took out some poppy seeds and gave them to Duskpaw.

"You should've controlled them!" Mintfur hissed in Duskpaw's ear.

"Controlled who?" Duskpaw whimpered.

"The vines! You must control them! Or else the Clan will know about you power!" Mintfur grunted, wrapping cobwebs around Duskpaw's leg to reinforce the cobweb already wrapped around.

"How do you know?" Duskpaw whispered.

"I had a prophecy come to me," Mintfur murmured. "Never let that Dawnpaw get to you. She's a menace. You will defeat her one day. Well, at least the prophecy said so."

"Great MoonClan…" Duskpaw whispered. The poppy seeds' effect set in and she let her eyelids droop and carry her into total darkness.

When Duskpaw woke, Mossflower was busying herself by restocking and checking for any herbs that were running low.

"What happened?" Mossflower asked gently when she realized that her patient was awake.

"Dawnpaw asked if I had been the one who hurt my sister yesterday and then she started to bully me. That's when-"

"Don't try to speak so much," Mintfur had just returned from the apprentices den, checking on Icepaw again.

"How is she? My sister, I mean?" Duskpaw croaked.

"Oh, she's fine. She'll be returning to her duties tomorrow. You, though…" Mintfur looked at the slash marks on Duskpaw. "You may have to stay in our den for a while. You were badly injured."

"Oh...okay," Duskpaw mumbled.

"Well, Duskpaw, did you have any strange dreams recently?" Mossflower questioned as she sniffed Duskpaw's wounds for infection.

"After you left for the Moontree, I had a dream and saw all the medicine cats of the Clans around a pool. And four other cats. They were talking about this leafbare being the calm before the storm and medicine cats having kits and she-cats getting a blessing." Duskpaw said.

"Well, Duskpaw," Mintfur said. "That wasn't a dream. It was a vision, and only special cats get them. Leaders and medicine cats."

"So, I have to be a medicine cat?" Duskpaw asked. "Well...I guess I could. Dawnpaw keeps stealing my ideas anyway."

Mintfur was pleased that Duskpaw didn't dread being a medicine cat. "Go to sleep, Duskpaw. You need rest for your wounds to heal."

* * *

 **Dramatic Cherryleaf. I wonder what Finchwing thinks of her.**

 **~Dusksong of MeadowClan**


	10. Chapter 9: The announcement

**Here comes...a MAJOR UPDATE!  
** **I'm posting 3 chapters today!**

* * *

Duskpaw awoke from the rustling noises of the Clan. She forced her eyelids to open. Mossflower peered over her.

"Will she be okay?" A muffled voice sounded from the back of the den.

"She'll be fine, as long as she gets some rest." Duskpaw recognized the low voice of her father.

"Well enough to go to the Gathering?" Icepaw's squeaky voice quivered as she spoke.

Silence.

Duskpaw felt hollow; she gazed out the medicine den. There was a purple tinge above the clouds. It was almost the next Gathering. _But the Gathering is not until two days!_ Duskpaw thought.

"How long have I been sleeping?" Duskpaw blurted. Icepaw jumped in surprise.

"Almost two days!" Mossflower murmured. "Do you need to stretch your paws?" She gave her a water-soaked piece of moss.

"I-" Duskpaw began.

"Duskpaw! You're all right!" Icepaw bounded up to her sister; nuzzling her all over.

"Icepaw! Give your sister some space," Nightjay purred. Icepaw backed away.

"Duskpaw! Duskpaw! Oh my sweet kit!" Blossomheart burst into the medicine den. "Are you okay?"

"Give her some space!" Mossflower hissed softly.

"I need to check on her!" Blossomheart spat. "Is she okay or not?"

"If you give my patient some space, I'll know!" Mossflower growled.

"You better not hurt my daughter!" Blossomheart glared at Mossflower. Icepaw rolled her eyes, muttering something under her breath.

"I'm so hot! Is it greenleaf already?" Duskpaw rasped.

Mossflower touched Duskpaw's muzzle as she lapped up the water in the moss. "You have a fever. Icepaw, would you hand over those leaves to the right of the poppy seeds?" Mossflower asked.

"Er, what? What are poppy seeds?" Icepaw asked, looking around.

"Over here. The feverfew," Nightjay nodded to the leaves; Icepaw grasped some in her jaws and spat them out near Mossflower.

"Thank you," Mossflower murmured; she gave the feverfew to Duskpaw, "Here, eat these." Duskpaw swallowed the leaves and immediately began to cool down.

"Feeling better?" Mossflower questioned. Duskpaw nodded.

"Do you want to make anything for you?" Blossomheart asked.

"No thanks."

"No?" her mother mewed with surprise, "Are you sure? Do you need a headrest or anything?"

"I'm fine!" Duskpaw snapped,

"Alright then, tell me if you need anything." Blossomheart mewed.

Just then, Crazystorm teetered in the medicine den. "Gte wlel oson!" He warbled, "I vhae bgi niventoin plnas ofr yuo!"

"Um, Crazystorm, I need to tell you something." Duskpaw muttered, glancing at Mossflower's cold eyes. "I… I'm going to become a medicine cat."

There was silence for a moment.

"WHAT?!" Blossomheart shrieked. "But I thought you wanted to become an inventor like me!"

"I do, but-" Duskpaw stammered.

"Mossflower! Have you got anything to do with this?!" Blossomheart demanded, her eyes blazing with fury.

"No, it was MoonClan who told Duskpaw herself. She told me two nights ago." Mossflower growled.

"That's not true!" Blossomheart wailed.

"No, mother! I loved being an inventor and all, but MoonClan said my destiny was to become a medicine cat!" Duskpaw explained.

"I was so proud…" Blossomheart sniffed.

"And you will be more proud of me than ever! I'm still your daughter!" Duskpaw replied firmly.

"Y-yes," Blossomheart weeped; she thrust her muzzle against Duskpaw's shoulder.

"I'm so proud of you, sis!" Icepaw gasped. "I nearly fainted!"

Lionstar peeped in the medicine den. "Nightjay! Take your patrol. We are about to head to the Gathering!" Lionstar commanded.

"Right, Icepaw, come with me." Nightjay look affectionately at his daughter. Icepaw trotted out the den with Nightjay.

"Icepaw, round up the apprentices. Rockpaw and Mistpaw," Nightjay mewed; he turned his head around.

"Fine," Icepaw sniffed; she padded to Rockpaw.

"What do you want, loser?" Rockpaw growled. "Come back to torture innocent cats?"

"You're coming to the Gathering, you rabbit-brain!" Icepaw growled. "As much as I don't like it."

"What was that?"

"Nothing, is Mistpaw 'round here?"

"No, she's asleep."

"I'll go get her."

"She's coming?" Rockpaw moaned.

"What's wrong with having Mistpaw around?" Icepaw snorted.

"Everything! She's-" Rockpaw hissed.

"I'm what?!" Mistpaw butted in, overhearing the conversation.

"Nothing!" Rockpaw said quickly.

"Rockpaw is so shallow minded that he states that everything is wrong with you." Icepaw sniffed.

"Liar!" Rockpaw spat. "Your whole entire family is a bunch of liars!"

"Yeah, and your mother is a murder!" Icepaw retorted.

"Fox-heart!"

"Rabbit-brain!"

"STOP! You idiots! This is the stupidest argument I've ever heard in my life!" Mistpaw growled.

Nightjay padded over. "What's going on?"

"NOTHING!" Icepaw, Mistpaw, and Rockpaw growled in unison.

"Very well, carry on. We need to leave soon. No dawdling." Nightjay muttered. He turned away and left.

Icepaw glared at Rockpaw. Rockpaw bared his teeth at Mistpaw, and Mistpaw held her head high.

"Let's go, Icepaw, before Rockpaw argues our ears off." Mistpaw growled softly. Icepaw gave one last harsh glare at Rockpaw and then left with Mistpaw.

Icepaw and Mistpaw trotted away, Rockpaw hot at their heels. Nightjay led Finchwing, Grassheart, Branchwing, and Sassytail. Lionstar emerged from the leader's' den and bounded towards the patrol waiting patiently at the entrance of the camp.

"Let's go before the other Clans claw our ears off for being late." Lionstar muttered, leading his patrol through the heather that guarded the camp.

Chilly wind swept through the meadow. Mistpaw shuddered, Icepaw glanced at her. She wasn't cold at all. Rockpaw nipped Icepaw's tail,

"Can you two snails go any faster?" Rockpaw hissed.

"It's not like we can just run ahead of the leader and head into the gathering!" Icepaw retorted. Mistpaw didn't say anything and picked up the pace a little bit.

By the time the group had gotten to Fourstones, all the other Clans were already there. As soon as Lionstar bounded onto his rock. Lichenstar narrowed his eyes.

"Why so late?" he hissed. "Too much dawdling in your Clan?"

"Shut up and begin." Lionstar mewed calmly.

"Very well. Streamstar has already shared." Lichenstar growled.

"Any more cats sent to DumbClan?" Lionstar snorted.

"Shut up, both of you! Lichenstar, just share the word!" Streamstar hissed, extremely embarrassed.

Lichenstar began. "The prey is running surprisingly well in StormClan," he said. "Sorrelheart is expecting kits, and we have a new warrior and a new inventor cat: Violetglow and Flowermoon,"

The Clans gave half-hearted cheers. Lichenstar nodded to Shadestar.

"Beeberry is expecting kits," she mewed, "That is all."

Mossflower raised her tail. "We have something to announce," Mossflower said. The medicine cats gathered to discuss what to say.

"We have been given an omen that darkness is coming. We also must expand the nurseries; I bet we'll be expecting a lot of kits for a while." Yellowleaf murmured.

"Yeah! And medicine cats can start to mate!" Lightpaw added.

Icepaw stared in shock. Medicine cats could now have… _mates!?_ Darkpelt, Aspenclaw, and Berrysplash looked at Mintfur eagerly. It was obvious that they wanted to mate Mintfur. Just thinking about it made her want to laugh.

"Right, thank you for the er, wonderful news." Streamstar interrupted.

Mossflower and the rest of the medicine cats dipped their heads.

"Any other news?" Shadestar added, glancing at the other leaders.

"Er, yes!" Nightjay yowled, "Sorry."

"No. Go on," Lionstar nodded.

Nightjay purred. "Um. My daughter, Duskpaw, will now be training as a medicine cat. Due to MoonClan sending her a message."

"How do you know she's not lying?!" A StormClan yowled.

"Yeah! Where's your proof?" A OwlClan cat added.

"UGH! Because MoonClan sent us a message! Just go on with it! It's none of your business anyway! Why do you even care?!" Mossflower irritated voice rang throughout the Four Stones; silencing the cats.

"I'm sorry, but you don't have the right to speak here!" Lichenstar spat.

"I have just the right!" Mossflower protested.

"Stop!" Streamstar yowled, "I call this Gathering to an end!"

The leaders leaped off the Four Stones. Icepaw's tail drooped. The sight of arguing cats depressed her.

* * *

 **At least Cherryleaf wasn't in this chapter.  
Please R&R!**

 **~Dusksong of MeadowClan**


	11. Chapter 10: A new friend

**Here comes...THE SECOND CHAPTER of my major update!**

* * *

Icepaw stirred in her nest. Unwanted memories flowing into her head. A soft paw prodded her side.

"Icepaw? You is awake?" a squeaky voice asked.

"What?" Icepaw groaned.

"I says, is you awake?" the voice squeaked.

"Who is this?" Icepaw grunted,

"It is Leafkit!" Leafkit squeaked. "Me wants to play!"

"Right, can't you play with your sisters?" Icepaw sniffed, opening her eyes.

"No! They is too bossy. You is cool." Leafkit mewed, his brown pelt barely visible in the darkness in the apprentice's den. "And perty!"

"What?" She heaved herself out of her moss-bed.

"Yey! Icepaw can plays!" Leafkit squealed.

"Okay what do you want to play?" Icepaw groaned.

"I doesn't know. But me can learn!" Leafkit mewed eagerly.

"You can learn to correct your grammar." Icepaw snorted.

"Teach me!" Leafkit mewed.

"Alright, first off. Don't say me in what you just said. Say I." Icepaw instructed.

"Er. I will learn! _I will learn_! I is doing it!" Leafkit gasped.

Icepaw smiled,

"Right. Now, don't say I is in what you said, say I am." Icepaw added.

"Okay. I am doing it! I am so happy!" Leafkit squealed, "Nutkit and Flowerkit teasing me because I has bad saying."

"Okayyy. You can correct that sentence." Icepaw said. "Don't say teasing. Say tease. And don't say has. Say have."

"Yes! Nutkit and Flowerkit tease me because me have because me have bad…" Leafkit paused, "I have bad grammar?"

"Very good! Now say something else!" Icepaw beamed with pride.

"Okay. Icepaw, can… can you pla… you play with me?" Leafkit concentrated hard to say his words correct.

"Alright. Let's play…" Icepaw paused. She remembered the long lost games of moss ball, "Let's play moss-ball! And remember to listen to other cats' grammar and fix yours!"

"What is moss-ball?" Leafkit asked.

"It's a game, you'll learn." Icepaw bounded out the apprentices den.

"Wait for… for me!" Leafkit wailed.

Icepaw leapt into the inventors' den. Dawnpaw eyed her suspiciously.

"What do you want?" Dawnpaw hissed.

"I just want a moss ball." Icepaw mewed.

"Whyyyyy?"

"I'm playing with Leafkit."

When Dawnpaw didn't reply she left, snagging the piece of moss and padded outside where Leafkit was waiting.

"Don't ask me for any more things, loser." Dawnpaw spat as Icepaw padded out of the den. Icepaw glared at Dawnpaw. Leafkit whimpered.

"Why is she so mean?" Leafkit whispered.

"Because she is a bully," Icepaw growled.

"How?"

"She bullies me and my friends. Also my sister. Her brother is a jerk." Icepaw hissed.

"Wait here." Leafkit commanded.

The little tom marched into the inventors' den. Dawnpaw looked down.

"Oh, it's you, what do you want?" Dawnpaw muttered.

"You, you are a mean, big, fat, bully!" Leafkit hissed.

"Get out, you stupid piece of fur!" Dawnpaw blushed furiously.

Leafkit pretended to be hurt. He watered up his eyes and went screaming out the inventors' den.

"Heatherfur! Heatherfur!" Leafkit wailed.

Heatherfur came rushing out the nursery. "What is it, little one?" Heatherfur murmured.

"Dawnpaw called me a stupid piece of fur!" Leafkit sniffed.

"Dawnpaw, you said…" Heatherfur narrowed her eyes. "DAWNPAW!"

"Rabbit dung…" Dawnpaw muttered, trotting out the inventors' den.

While Heatherfur was lecturing Dawnpaw, Leafkit evilly padded away. "There! I have given revenge for you!" Leakit mewed, puffing out his chest.

"Thanks," Icepaw purred, "Now on with our game."

* * *

 **That was short. The next chapter will be longer.  
Here is my question for this chapter: What do you think about Icepaw and Leafkit's relationship? What do you think will happen with them?**

 **~Dusksong of MeadowClan**


	12. Chapter 11: Flamepaw's assessment

**And here is...(drumroll please) THE FINAL CHAPTER OF MY MAJOR UPDATE!**

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"Icepaw! We need your help!" Branchwing called. He padded over with Greenleap.

"Yes?" Icepaw mewed, looking up from the moss-ball.

"We need you to help Flamepaw with his assessment."

"But Flamepaw-" Leafkit protested, leaping forward.

"Flamepaw is a wonderful cat and I'd love to help him out!" Icepaw covered Leafkit's mouth with her tail.

"Great. You two will be hunting together!" Brachwing flicked his ears, "Come to the entrance when you're ready." Icepaw's tail drooped, she really didn't look forward to this.

"I thought you hated Flamepaw!" Leafkit growled. "Do you like him?"

"Of course not! He's a jerk! But I can't announce that to the Clan." Icepaw sniffed.

"Well, I don't like him!" Leafkit declared.

"Good, now, can you play with some cat else?" Icepaw asked.

"Fine." Leafkit snorted.

As soon as Leafkit left she hurried toward the entrance where Branchwing and Greenleap were waiting.

"Flamepaw's late!" Branchwing growled.

Just then, Flamepaw came bounding up and abruptly stopped at the sight of Icepaw. "What is _she_ doing here?" Flamepaw hissed.

"I'm going to help you on your apprentice assessment!" Icepaw replied.

" _You_?! You don't know how to do anything!" Flamepaw sneered.

Icepaw just rolled her eyes and said nothing, for she knew when to hold her tongue.

"Flamepaw, stop your taunting or else you automatically fail!" Branchwing hissed.

"Fine," Flamepaw grumbled.

The patrol stalked out the camp and onto the open, calm valley. A sparrow fluttered out of the trees and rabbits darted out from their hiding places. Flamepaw's eyes glittered in anger.

"First, you will be tested on your battle moves. Icepaw, you'll be Flamepaw's battle partner." Branchwing instructed. Icepaw nodded curtly. "Ready, BEGIN!" Branchwing yowled.

Flamepaw darted to and fro, waiting for Icepaw to make a move. _Mouse dung!_ Icepaw thought, _This is a very well trained apprentice. I've got to confuse him somehow._ Suddenly, Flamepaw lashed a paw at Icepaw. Hissing in pain, Icepaw backed away. She remembered The Tornado. She ran in a circle, then faster, then faster, until Flamepaw was trapped.

"Very good, Icepaw! Breezefur has taught you well!" Greenleap complimented; Flamepaw hissed in jealous rage.

"Are we done praising a loser?" Flamepaw growled.

"We are done." Greenleap mewed. "Keep going."

Flamepaw smirked and leapt onto Icepaw. Icepaw yowled and kicked with her back legs; sending Flamepaw whirling away. Panting, Icepaw charged at full speed and tackled Flamepaw with mighty force.

"Hey!" Flamepaw yelped, "That wasn't a warrior move!"

"So?" Icepaw snarled between her gritted teeth.

"Cheater!"

Flamepaw flung himself on Icepaw and unsheathed his claws. He swiped at Icepaw's ear; which was now bleeding badly.

"Flamepaw! What were you thinking?!" Branchwing gasped; pulling his furious apprentice off of Icepaw.

" _Sorry_!" Flamepaw growled; rolling his eyes.

Greenleap narrowed his eyes and muttered something under his breath.

"Now we do hunting," Greenleap interrupted, "You two need to work together!"

"Right!" Icepaw chirped, though she was still glaring at Flamepaw.

Flamepaw led Icepaw farther onto the moor, he stole furious glances from her time to time. Once he got to the Squirrel Meadows, he stopped.

"Alright, you stay here while I hunt!" Flamepaw hissed.

"But don't we have to hunt together?" Icepaw protested.

"Never! I don't care what that old cat says, as long as I pass my assessment!" Flamepaw snarled.

"You won't-"

"SILENCE!" Flamepaw growled.

Icepaw watched as Flamepaw tried to hunt by himself. Flamepaw kept tripping in holes or missing the squirrels. A black squirrel chittered at him, then disappeared into a tunnel. Icepaw decided to nap because she was bored and tired.

A couple hours later she felt something prodding her really hard.

"Got one!" Flamepaw mewed, "See, I didn't need your help!"

"Whatever," Icepaw muttered, stalking after Flamepaw.

Once they reached the heather, Greenleap inspected the squirrel Flamepaw had caught.

"Weren't you supposed to hunt together?" Greenleap snapped.

"Yeah! But I didn't want Icepaw to ruin my assessment!" Flamepaw protested.

"Hm…" Branchwing narrowed his eyes.

"Then you-" Greenleap started,

"Pass?" Flamepaw said hopefully,

"Fail." Branchwing hissed.

Flamepaw's eyes widened, he gaped for a moment.

"W… What?! Fail?! ME?! WHY?!" Flamepaw demanded.

"Because you hurt your partner and didn't follow the instructions." Greenleap mewed simply, "You must-"

"I know! I know!" Flamepaw snarled, his eyes started to water.

"You're a disgrace." Icepaw spat into Flamepaw's ear.

"It was because of you that I failed!" Flamepaw retorted.

"Flamepaw!" Branchwing hissed.

The patrol reached the camp and Lionstar twitched his whiskers. Snowpelt, Branchwing and Treeheart gathered around their leader. Lionstar narrowed his eyes when Branchwing spoke. He muttered something and nodded. The three mentors departed. Lionstar gracefully jumped onto the Meeting Rock.

"Let all the cats of MeadowClan gather under the Meeting Rock for a Clan meeting!" Lionstar announced; cats instantly swarmed into the clearing.

"Dawnpaw, please step up!" Lionstar purred loudly.

Dawnpaw lifted her chin and strode onto the Meeting Rock. Duskpaw flattened her ears.

"Dawnpaw, do you wish to create and find unpredictable items and strategies for the benefit of the Clan?" Lionstar questioned.

"I do," Dawnpaw mewed confidently.

"Then by the powers of MoonClan, I name you, Dawnstrider!" Lionstar announced.

"Dawnstrider! Dawnstrider!" the Clan roared.

Dawnstrider blushed and bounded down the rock.

"Rockpaw, please step up!"

Rockpaw casually padded up the Meeting Rock. Mistpaw rolled her eyes.

"Rockpaw, do you wish to serve your Clanmates and risk your life defending your Clan? Do you wish to serve your elders and queens and bring them fresh-kill?" Lionstar questioned once more.

"Sure," Rockpaw mewed,

"Then by the powers of MoonClan, I name you, Rockclaw!"

"Rockclaw! Rockclaw!" The Clan cheered.

"That will be all for today. You are dismissed," Lionstar dipped his head.

"What about Flamepaw?" Cherryleaf shouted with fury from the crowd.

"He, he has failed." Lionstar glanced at Flamepaw who was shrinking in his pelt. "He will be training until another moon as passed."

Icepaw stared at Lionstar, showing no emotion at all. _Well at least he got what he deserved!_ she thought. Cats departed from the Meeting Rock. Dawnstrider and Rockclaw huddled next to Flamepaw.

"Seriously? You fail? Really? What a loser!" Rockclaw hissed.

"But-" Flamepaw started.

" _You!_ " Cherryleaf hissed, padding to Flamepaw. "I am so disappointed in you! And I thought you were something special!"

"I'm sorry!" Flamepaw sobbed. "I'm sorry!"

"Sorry is just a word!" Cherryleaf snapped. "Dawnstrider, Rockclaw, congratulations!"

"I'm so proud!" Finchwing nuzzled his new warrior and inventor cat kits. Icepaw stared in horror. What a cruel family! Flamepaw's tail drooped and he slowly padded away. He spotted Icepaw and trotted up to her.

" _You!_ " Flamepaw snarled. "YOU! It was you! You made me fail my assessment! You'll pay for this!"

"I… I didn't… I'm so sorry," Icepaw stammered.

"Well, sorry is just a word!" Flamepaw hissed stalking away.

"I'm sorry... "

"Just shut up. He has always been the stupid one in the family." Rockclaw growled.

"Rockclaw?!" Icepaw gasped, "Why are you on my side?"

"I'm not on your side, it's just that he's so stupid."

"Oh," Icepaw mewed sadly.

Rockclaw grunted and padded away. Icepaw let her whiskers droop.

"Thanks for everything, you piece of rabbit dung." Flamepaw hissed in Icepaw's ear.

Icepaw watched Flamepaw stalk away.

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 **And so my major update is finally over! ^_^  
**

 **~Dusksong of MeadowClan**


	13. Chapter 12: Icepaw's discovery

**Okay, it's been 6 days since I added a chapter to the story, but I've been busy. This chapter is pretty short.**

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"Nightjay, go organize the hunting patrols." Lionstar ordered.

"I want to hunt! I want to hunt!" Icepaw squealed.

Nightjay just purred and looked at Breezefur.

"Can I hunt by myself?" she asked.

"You've hunted all yesterday! You need to let other cats have the chance! And you're not an experienced apprentice yet. " Breezefur mewed.

"Pleeeeeeaaaaaaase?"

"No." Breezefur said.

"Ugh!" Icepaw stormed away and into the apprentices' den. _Maybe I'll take a quick nap,_ she thought.

When Icepaw had just started to close her eyes, Flamepaw came romping in the den. He glanced at Icepaw, then hissed at her, "It's you! You are a pathetic weakling! A traitor to your Clan! A piece of-"

"Go away you piece of rabbit dung. I'm trying to nap!" Icepaw sniffed, glaring at Flamepaw.

"No! I will win this time!" Flamepaw growled.

"What are you winning, the den?" Icepaw sneered.

"Just get out!" Flamepaw demanded.

"Okay! Just leave me alone!" Icepaw yowled, padding out the apprentices' den.

Once Icepaw had left the den, her eyes stared at the juicy, yummy, warm fresh-kill pile. _Maybe I'll get a snack,_ Icepaw thought hopefully. She picked out a scrawny finch and began to gnaw on it. Once she thought that she was free from Flamepaw's tyranny, he came stalking up to Icepaw.

"I'm not done with you missy!" Flamepaw growled, "Come and fight me."

"Why bother? And in front of all these witnesses." Icepaw sighed.

"You are a loser, and you know it!" Flamepaw retorted.

"Just shut up and leave me alone. Can't you see I'm trying to eat?!" Icepaw hissed.

"No!" Flamepaw snapped.

"Then you're doing this for nothing!" Icepaw rolled her eyes.

"I need revenge!" Flamepaw yowled.

"Just go away!"

"Never!"

"WHY?"

"BECAUSE!"

"BECAUSE OF WHAT?!"

"JUST FIGHT ME!"

"LEAVE ME ALONE!"

"FIGHT ME!"

"Stop, stop, STOP!" Icepaw screamed; the world was a blur around her and she couldn't help shouting.

As Icepaw was busy yowling in annoyance, a cold flake of ice appeared on the ground. It slithered up to the fresh-kill pile like a snake. The ice traveled up and onto the nearest thrush. Then it took over the whole pile. Every last piece of fur on the prey was frozen solid. Cats around the pile murmured in shock and fear. Flamepaw and Icepaw turned around; they stared at the frozen pile.

"Who did this?" Breezefur demanded; she happened to be one of the cats who were standing near the pile.

Silence.

Mintfur padded out the medicine den to see what had happened. She gasped at the sight of the frozen pile, then she looked at Icepaw. She had to talk to her!

"Icepaw!" Mintfur called, "Come here!"

Icepaw looked back for a moment, then padded up to Mintfur. Duskpaw loped out the medicine den. Mintfur nodded to Duskpaw,

"Go separate the chickweed and raspberry leaves and organize the den. Icepaw and I need to talk in private."

"Of course." Duskpaw said, pulling out an herb with fat almond-shaped leaves, separating the herb from another herb with jagged edges.

Mintfur turned her attention on Icepaw. "What was that, Icepaw?"

"What did I do?!" Icepaw yelped with shock.

"I'll tell you. Walk with me." Mintfur beckoned Icepaw to come forward.

"What are you talking about? What do you mean?"

"You'll see."

Mintfur led Icepaw to the back of the medicine den; Icepaw brushed away some cobwebs that clung to the den walls.

"What did you bring me here for?" Icepaw questioned.

"I need to tell you something very important and secret." Mintfur murmured. "It's about a prophecy."

"A… what?"

"A prophecy! Don't let the flames get to you! You must win!"

"What do you mean? Is there going to be a fire in the camp?!" Icepaw gasped in alarm.

"No! You are part of a prophecy! You, Duskpaw, and Mistpaw!" Mintfur hissed.

"What?! So, it was me that froze the pile?!"

"Well, I guess…" Mintfur murmured, her eyes misty.

"Great MoonClan! Am I evil!?" Icepaw yelped.

"Uh, well, no. You are a very important cat. But I don't know why." Mintfur whispered.

"Who else knows about this?" Icepaw whimpered.

"Breezefur."

"Breezefur?" Icepaw asked inquisitively.

"Yes, your mentor." Mintfur purred.

"What about Mossflower?" Icepaw asked.

"Well, I haven't told her yet. And MoonClan sent the prophecy to me." Mintfur sighed.

"Oh."

"Listen to me, whatever you do, use your powers for good." Mintfur advised.

"Do Duskpaw and Mistpaw have powers?" Icepaw asked curiously.

"I think Duskpaw's powers are to grow vines, and I don't know Mistpaw's. Just look for anything suspicious, and then report back to me." Mintfur commanded.

"Yes!" Icepaw lashed her tail with excitement.

Just then, Duskpaw came padding behind the den to look for Mintfur.

"I'm done separating the leaves." Duskpaw announced.

"Very good, now I'll show you some helpful mixtures." Mintfur rose from her spot; she led Duskpaw into the medicine den, leaving Icepaw staring in excitement on her own.

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 **Mistpaw probably won't learn about her powers for a while.  
Next chapter: Duskpaw time!**


	14. Chapter 13: Saving the light

**Oops!  
** ***hides in corner*  
There weren't many changes, were there?  
There will be explanation chapters, in a while. Sorry...**

 **To make up for this, I'll add 4 more chapters soon. And BTW, school will probably cause me to update only once a week after this. Sorry again...**

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Duskpaw followed Mintfur into the medicine den. The fresh smell of herbs lingered on her pelt. Mossflower was busily grooming herself. She looked up from her grooming.

"What are you two up to?" Mossflower narrowed her eyes.

"Well I was going to-" Mintfur started.

"Let all the cats of MeadowClan gather under the Meeting Rock for a Clan meeting!" Lionstar's voice rang throughout the camp.

"Well, that's Lionstar, better get a move on." Mossflower sighed, heaving herself out of her nest. Duskpaw and Mintfur followed.

When every cat was gathered, Lionstar bounded up the rock.

"Duskpaw, please step up!"

Duskpaw stepped up in confusion. Murmurs from the crowd spread like wildfire.

"This is not an inventor ceremony, this is just an appointment." Lionstar announced.

"For what?" Cherryleaf snarled, "For being a dumb apprentice?"

"That's enough Cherryleaf!" Lionstar snapped, "Anyway. I just want to make an announcement. Duskpaw will now be training as a medicine cat!"

"But why?" Snowpelt called.

"MoonClan has sent me a dream," Duskpaw yowled, "I would like to continue as an inventor. But, if MoonClan wants me to become a medicine cat, then I will be one!"

"How can we trust her?" Cherryleaf challenged.

"We can!" Lionstar hissed sharply.

Cherryleaf fell silent.

"Duskpaw. You have not yet been appointed a mentor. So I'll appoint one now." Lionstar sniffed, "You're new mentor shall be Mintfur."

"Mintfur! Mintfur!" the Clan cheered; Aspenclaw, Darkpelt, and Berrysplash being the loudest.

Mintfur jumped onto the Meeting Rock and touched Duskpaw's muzzle. Crazystorm narrowed his eyes.

"I'm so glad it's you!" Duskpaw breathed,

"Tryin' to get away from Crazystorm?" Mintfur teased; Duskpaw nodded.

"You are dismissed!" Lionstar waved his tail; the cats departed, Duskpaw and Mintfur hopped off the Meeting Rock.

Dawnstrider bumped into Duskpaw as she past.

"Well, at least I don't have to deal with any more losers." Dawnstrider sneered behind Duskpaw.

"Don't speak to a medicine cat like that, or else I won't help you if you get hurt." Duskpaw snorted.

Dawnpaw turned bright pink and stuck her nose in the air. She stalked off leaving Duskpaw amused and stiff. Duskpaw turned around and padded towards the medicine den. The prickles of the grass poked at her heels like needles. She longed to itch her pads. When she arrived at the medicine den, she saw Mintfur chatting with Mossflower.

"Um, Mintfur, what would you like me to do?" Duskpaw interrupted,

"Oh! Well, we are low on dried oak leaves. You'll find them near the StormClan border. Now, shoo." Mintfur instructed.

"But what-" Duskpaw started.

"No questions, I'm busy!" Mintfur mewed.

Duskpaw's tail drooped. What in the name of MoonClan was a dried oak leaf? She'd never seen one before. She didn't even know where the StormClan border was! She wished Mintfur had told her. Mintfur had told her all these elaborate herbs, but never anything about some weird leaf. Reluctantly, she dragged her paws out the den and padded out of camp. The two guards, Berrysplash and Grassheart, looked at her.

"Where are you going?" Grassheart questioned.

"I'm going to fetch some dried oak leaves."

"What?" Grassheart cocked her head.

"I know." Duskpaw heaved a sigh.

"Well, you'll need a warrior to accompany you. I'll come along." Grassheart mewed.

"Okay," Duskpaw muttered.

The two she-cats padded out the heather that protected the camp. Its leaves scratched Duskpaw's pelt. Grassheart's scent lingered in the air. Duskpaw felt a little more secure with her hanging around.

"Do you know where the StormClan border is? Mintfur told me that the leaves were near there." Duskpaw blurted.

"Of course!" Grassheart mewed. "Follow me!"

Grassheart led Duskpaw to a new patch of land Duskpaw had never been to before. It smelled strongly of pine and fern. Duskpaw scrunched up her nose.

"Surely cats don't live here? The stench!" Duskpaw wheezed.

"Well, go say that to StormClan because they do live here!" Grassheart exclaimed.

"Huh," Duskpaw went searching for some leaf-like objects.

"I'll go explore the bushes down there." Grassheart growled. "I smell dog."

"Okay, I'll be by the stream." Duskpaw replied, padding into the ferns.

The stream was quiet and peaceful. The flow of the rhythmic water soothed Duskpaw's ears. There was a faint sound in the distance, Duskpaw angled her ears towards the sound.

"Huh," Duskpaw muttered, "Some splashing and… and a cry for help!" She widened her eyes.

Duskpaw flung herself into the thorny bushes, the thorns scraping her pelt. Ignoring the pain, Duskpaw sprinted to the near end of the river bank. There, she spotted a light tortoiseshell pelt bobbing above the water.

"Help! Help! Please!" The she-cat begged, "I need help! I'll drown!"

Duskpaw snatched up a long stick and dipped it in the water. The she-cat was very close; just one more step.

"Grab on!" Duskpaw mewed through clenched teeth.

"I can't swim!" the she-cat wailed.

"I can't either!" Duskpaw hissed.

"HELP!"

Closing her eyes, Duskpaw dropped the stick and plunged into the water. The frigid, cold liquid splashed onto her pelt. She opened her eyes, which were stinging. Duskpaw caught a glimpse of the she-cat's pelt and tried to swim to it. Her paws flailed around, but she was being pushed closer to the she-cat. Duskpaw snatched a chunk of the she-cat's pelt and forced herself upward to the bank. Duskpaw half dragged, half carried the she-cat to safety. Once they were both on shore, the she-cat flung herself to Duskpaw's paws.

"Thank you, you… you saved my life…"

"No worries." Duskpaw purred.

"How… how can I ever… ever repay… you?"

"Well, catch your breath first." Duskpaw mewed.

The she-cat panted very hard.

"What's your name?" Duskpaw asked.

"My name is Lightpaw," Lightpaw mewed warily. "What's yours?"

"The name's Duskpaw, nice to meet you Lightpaw. Where you from?"

"I'm from StormClan, you must be in MeadowClan." Lightpaw mewed.

"Yeah," Duskpaw mewed, "Do you know what a dried oak leaf is? My mentor didn't give me the description."

"Oh? You're a medicine cat too?" Lightpaw's eyes brightened.

"Yeah, are you?"

"Yes! I now just the place to find oak leaves! Stay right here and don't move a whisker!" Lightpaw dashed through the ferns. Duskpaw took her instruction too seriously.

In a moment, Lightpaw came back with a mouthful of leaves. She spat them on the ground.

"Don't chew them up! They're bitter." Lightpaw grimaced.

"Thanks!" Duskpaw scooped up the leaves.

"No problem! Hey, were you just appointed medicine cat?" Lightpaw asked.

"Yeah, used to be an inventor." Duskpaw mewed through muffled jaws.

"Don't worry! Come here tomorrow night and I'll teach you some handy tips!" Lightpaw winked. "Nice meeting you, Duskpaw!"

"Thanks," Duskpaw mewed; she heard rustling just behind the thorn bushes. "You might want to leave. I hear my Clanmate coming."

Lightpaw dipped her head and bounded away. Grassheart appeared from the thorns. She plucked a thorn from her pelt.

"Great MoonClan!" Grassheart gasped. "What happened? Why did you run off?!"

"I fathared fome oak feaves!" Duskpaw mewed through the oak leaves.

"Don't ever run off like that! That scared me to death!" Grassheart shook her head. "Let's go home."

Grassheart led Duskpaw to the camp, her tail twitching with irritation. Duskpaw didn't care if she got in trouble with Mintfur. She was going to prove that she was a smart apprentice. Duskpaw fought back tears. Grassheart brushed away the flowers of the heather plants. Berrysplash looked up and let Grassheart and Duskpaw enter. Duskpaw went straight to the medicine den. Mintfur hurried out.

"I'm so sorry! I should've told you what it looks like. You could've gotten killed!" Mintfur blurted. "I'm such a bad mentor!"

Duskpaw spat the leaves on the ground. "Don't worry, I got them!"

"How did you know what it looked like? These are the correct leaves!" Mintfur murmured in surprise.

"I er- guessed?" Duskpaw lied.

"Well, good guesswork." Mintfur praised.

"Told you, you should've let-" Mossflower's raspy voice echoed from the back of the den.

"Shut up Mossflower!" Mintfur hissed, "She'll be moving out to the elder's den soon."

"HEY! I heard that!" Mossflower screeched.

"Sorry!" Mintfur mewed back. Duskpaw snickered.

"Why do you need the oak leaves?" Duskpaw asked.

"Leaf-bare's coming, we need to stalk up." Mintfur replied, a strong breeze coming in.

"Oh, okay." Duskpaw's whiskers drooped a little.

"I have to check on Mallowleaf, she's getting bigger each day!" Mintfur joked, leaving Duskpaw confuddled.


	15. Chapter 14: Overprotective Snowpelt

**I am not commenting on the next 3 chapters after this because this is one big update! ^_^**

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Mistpaw stood in the medicine den. Mintfur was trickling celandine juice in her eye.

"Good, it'll fully heal soon! It's already getting better!" Mintfur mewed cheerfully. Happily, Mistpaw left to the apprentice's den.

As Mistpaw sat in the apprentice's den, she wondered about the recent events that had happened. Honeypelt had just told her about the frozen pile of prey. _I wonder who froze the fresh-kill pile. Maybe Mintfur will know, after all she is a medicine cat._ Mistpaw padded out the den and towards Mintfur.

"Hey-" Mistpaw started. "Mistpaw! What are you doing out of the den! You're supposed to rest!" Mintfur gasped; she shook her head. "If you want to stretch your legs, you might as well come with me to get Mallowleaf."

"Wait…" Mistpaw hurried after Mintfur, "Why Mallowleaf?"

"You'll see."

Mintfur led Mistpaw into the nursery where Mallowleaf was waiting. Mistpaw cocked her head.

"Why do you need-"

"Shush. Be patient." Mintfur snapped. "Mallowleaf, please lay down."

Mallowleaf obeyed and lay down on a feather-soft heather-and-grass bed, lined with feathers. She gasped in pain. Mistpaw was confused.

"Are you going to throw up?" Mistpaw asked. "Is she expecting kits?" Mistpaw added, looking at Mintfur.

"Of course she is! Why else would she be here, hare-brain?" Mintfur joked, rolling her eyes as if it were obvious.

"WHAT? Then how come you've never told us? You would be resting in the nursery with Heatherfur!" Mistpaw screeched. "You could've gotten killed as a warrior!"

"That's what I've been trying to tell her!" Snowpelt growled, padding in the den.

"I must carry my duties as a warrior!" Mallowleaf wheezed. "I will help the Clan as much as possible!"

"Huh, you could help the Clan by having kits." Mistpaw muttered under her breath.

"Every cat shut up! I need to check on her!" Mintfur hissed; every cat fell silent.

Mintfur ran a paw over Mallowleaf's belly. It was round and swollen with kits. Mallowleaf gave a painful gasp.

"You're fine now! Your kits will come in half a moon. I'm going to tell Lionstar that you'll be moving to the nursery." Mintfur declared.

"Okay…" Mallowleaf sighed, casting her eyes downward.

Heatherfur purred. "More company in the nursery!"

"I'll protect the den, day and night," Snowpelt declared.

"Uh… Snowpelt, why would you guard the nursery day and night when you have other things to do?" Mistpaw sniffed.

"It's only to protect my mate!" Snowpelt hissed.

"Don't forget that Heatherfur is Lionstar's mate, but do you see him guarding the nursery day and night? No! Why you ask? HE HAS TO PROTECT THE ENTIRE CLAN!" Mistpaw spat in irritation.

"Well, I'm not the Clan leader!" Snowpelt growled. "You have no right to talk to a full-fledged inventor like that!"

"Ugh! Why is every cat so mean?!" Mistpaw shrieked.

"Mistpaw!" Mintfur's annoyed voice silenced them all. "Leave please! You are no help here, and Mallowleaf needs rest!"

Mistpaw silently retreated out the medicine den. She went back into the apprentices' den and plunked down in her heathery bed. Bad luck just never ceased to come to her. With her good eye, Mistpaw searched the camp for something to do. Without warning, both her eyes drooped and closed. Darkness filled Mistpaw's mind.

Mistpaw awoke with shock. A shrill scream echoed throughout the camp. It was Mallowleaf! Mistpaw hauled herself out of her bed and loped out the den. A mob of cats surrounded the nursery.

"It's too early!" Snowpelt yowled.

"Every cat! Get back! Mallowleaf needs space!" Mintfur pleaded.

"You hear her! Get back!" Darkpelt hissed.

Mistpaw managed to squeeze through the sea of cats without getting caught. She poked her head inside the nursery. There, she saw Mallowleaf. Mallowleaf was sweating and wincing in pain when another spasm hit her. Mintfur busted in and felt Mallowleaf's belly.

"When-are they-going to come-it's been-an hour!" Mallowleaf panted. "And-they're a half moon-early!"

"They're coming!" Mintfur reassured; Mossflower came in with a bunch of leaves. Duskpaw had a stick at her side.

When Mintfur felt a spasm, she pushed. Mallowleaf yowled in pain and Snowpelt looked away.

"Here, Mallowleaf, bite this." Duskpaw mewed, offering a stick.

She bit down and crunched the stick into two.

"Great MoonClan, you have a strong jaw!" Duskpaw yelped as a long crack formed on the stick and it broke. Duskpaw left to get another stick.

"Wait!" Mintfur yowled.

"Mossflower, she's losing blood!" Mintfur shrieked.

"Calm down. You have the herbs right in front of you. Don't panic." Mossflower soothed, hurrying in the den. Duskpaw returned with a stick.

"Duskpaw, could you go get raspberry leaves?" Mintfur asked.

Duskpaw trotted out the den and returned with a mouthful of raspberry leaves. She stuffed them in Mallowleaf's mouth. The bleeding slowed to a trickle and then stopped.

"Whew!" Snowpelt sighed with relief.

There was more screaming from Mallowleaf. Duskpaw whisked back outside to fetch another stick. Mistpaw closed her eyes praying that it would be over soon. Once the fiasco was over, Mistpaw opened her eyes. Lionstar finally bustled in.

"Snowpelt, Mallowleaf, congratulations!" Lionstar praised.

"Thanks," Mallowleaf whispered. "They're beautiful."

"A she-cat and a tom! And at the same time!" Mintfur announced; the swarm of cats pushed in even more. Duskpaw came in with another stick.

"Sorry! The crowd was so thick that I couldn't get through!" Duskpaw said panting, "But I managed to find another stick."

"Good!" Mallowleaf gasped as she felt another spasm.

"And there is one more coming!" Duskpaw whispered.

Mallowleaf shrieked and bit down on the stick that had bit given to her one last time, and a little cream-colored bundle of fur appeared beside its littermates.

"A she-cat!" Mintfur announced proudly.

Mintfur, Snowpelt, and Mallowleaf were licking the kits.

"Here," Duskpaw said, giving Mallowleaf borage leaves. "This'll help with your milk."

Mallowleaf licked up the leaves, then croaked to Snowpelt, "What should we name them?"

Snowpelt nudged the blue-and-white she-kit. "This one should be Skykit, because she's as pale as the sky."

"I think this one should be Aspenkit because of his fur pattern." Mallowleaf murmured, nudging the cream-and-brown tabby tom.

"And this one will be Smokekit," Snowpelt mewed, pointing to the gray tabby tom with his tail.

There were murmurs of congratulations; most cats went back to their duties. Icepaw, Mistpaw and a few others stayed to watch.

"We better leave and get some shut eye..." Icepaw yawned, trailing off.

"Breezefur said that we're trying out solo hunting tomorrow, right?" Mistpaw mewed with question, and a hint of hostility.

"Yeah…" Icepaw replied, padding back to the apprentices' den.

Mistpaw took one last look at Mallowleaf's newborn kits and then pelted back in

Icepaw's tracks. She curled up into her feathered nest and let darkness take over her.

Mistpaw opened her eyes and saw sunlight filtering into the apprentices' den, hurting her bad eye. Her bad eye instantly snapped shut and she went to the medicine den for her daily eye checkup.

"Good!" Mintfur said cheerfully. "Now, close your good eye and open your bad eye. Don't look outside; it's too bright! Okay. Can you see me?"

Mistpaw saw a blurred cat shape. "Sort of, but it's more clear than a few days ago."

Mintfur purred and trickled celandine juice in her eye. "Good, just keep your bad eye shut!"

Mistpaw happily trotted out the medicine den to the nursery. Then she saw Mossflower padding out of the nursery, looking grim. "Mallowleaf should've moved to the nursery earlier. The kitting left her extremely weak, and her kits are tiny because of the early birth. We'll have to leave them alone for half a moon or so, and Heatherfur and her kits will have to stay in the elders' den for a while." Mossflower said sadly to Duskpaw who was following her.

Mistpaw went closer to the nursery and saw Heatherfur and her kits, who were bouncing around enthusiastically, leaving for the elders' den.

"What are you doing here?" Snowpelt hissed. He was _still_ guarding the nursery.

"I wanted to visit the kits, but it looks like I can't," Mistpaw mumbled.

"Good. Now leave! Mallowleaf needs rest!" Snowpelt snapped.

"You look like you need some too," Mistpaw commented. Snowpelt had been guarding the nursery for a day now, and he looked exhausted.

"No! I need to protect my mate and kits!"

"Yeah, but all a cat needs to do is flick you away! You're so tired and it's no use!" Mistpaw hissed.

"Whatever!"

Mintfur noticed the commotion and sighed, "Well, at least you should eat some burnet to keep up your strength."

Snowpelt shook his head. "No! Use them on other cats who need them!"

"We have plenty. Now EAT!" Mintfur insisted.

Snowpelt sighed and licked up the leaves.

 _Well, I'll go get a moss-ball to play with Heatherfur's then,_ Mistpaw thought. She headed for the large gorse bush which was the inventor's den. To her disappointment, there was only Dawnstrider there.

"What do you want?" Dawnstrider snapped.

"I was hoping to get a moss-ball for Flowerkit," Mistpaw said.

Just then, Icepaw came in with Leafkit trailing behind her. "I need a moss-ball too."

"Hey, we can play together!" Leafkit squeaked.

"What a great idea, Leafkit!" Icepaw purred.

"There are no more moss-balls in the inventory." Dawnstrider growled.

"Liar." Mistpaw spat.

"What did you just call me?" Dawnstrider hissed.

"I said you're a liar." Mistpaw growled.

"Why?"

"There are a bunch of moss-balls right behind you!" Icepaw butted in.

"Oh yeah. They're really old. Let me fix them." Dawnstrider said. She took one of the moss-balls and left.

A while later, she came back with the moss-ball. Leafkit excitedly picked it up and began gnawing on it. Icepaw led Leafkit out the inventors' den. Mistpaw stared at the playing friends. _I might as well do something else._ Mistpaw sighed. She padded slowly away to the apprentices' den, only to see Leafkit sway on his paws.

"Oh no!" Mistpaw heard Icepaw gasp, "I think there might be some poppy seeds inside! We have to tell Heatherfur!"

Just then, Snowpelt noticed the commotion. He was horrified. He said to Mallowleaf, "Our kits shall never get hurt under my watch!"

A weak purr sounded from the nursery.


	16. Chapter 15: Icepaw's prey overload

Morning sunlight shone into the apprentices' den. Icepaw woke up straight, rigid, and hair standing on end. She had just been dreaming that she had been going on a solo hunt and came back empty-pawed. Breezefur was so disappointed in her that her apprenticeship was expanded by one moon, which made her shiver. That was when she woke up feeling like the world was ending. Mistpaw stirred in her nest and lifted her head. She opened her good eye.

"Mistpaw! You're awake!" Icepaw squealed happily. "Let's see if Breezefur's awake!"

"Yeah, let's go," Mistpaw sighed; Icepaw way over enthusiastic.

Icepaw leapt up and trotted out the apprentices' den, Mistpaw slowly following her. Icepaw bounded up to the warriors' den.

"Let's go in!" Icepaw squeaked.

"But we're not allowed to. We are _apprentices_ and they are _warriors_." Mistpaw sniffed. "Let's just wait."

"Okay… we'll wait…" Icepaw sighed; she glanced back at the den.

"In the meantime, let's find something else to do!" Mistpaw yawned. "Like go back to sleep!"

"No way! I'm not going to be waken up by Breezefur like a kit!" Icepaw mewed indignantly.

"Icepaw's right, I'm not letting you slip off and nap all day!" Breezefur's amused voice sounded from behind. She slid out of the den.

"YAY! Finally!" Icepaw shrieked with excitement. "Let's go hunting!"

Breezefur purred and Mistpaw sighed. Breezefur led them out of the camp and they went to the Rabbit Hunting Grounds. It was a small area of grass with tons of rabbit holes. Icepaw shook her pelt that was full of morning dew.

"You two need to catch as much prey as possible. I'll be in another area hunting by myself. Instead of working together, you must hunt alone and far away from each other. Mistpaw, you take the far side of the Rabbit Hunting Grounds. Icepaw, you take the hills." Breezefur instructed. "I'll go to the Squirrel Meadows."

"Right," Mistpaw and Icepaw mewed in unison.

"Good, now, you may start." Breezefur nodded. "I'll be watching." Without another reply, Breezefur sprinted away. Mistpaw whisked around and trotted to the far side.

Icepaw growled; she was going to catch the most rabbits possible! Icepaw targeted a fat rabbit that was nibbling on some thick grass. She crouched down. _Remember what Breezefur taught you._ Icepaw waited until the rabbit was in close range. She sprang. The rabbit noticed her in the last second and fled. Being agile, Icepaw turned sharply and cut off the rabbit's path. The rabbit froze with terror. Icepaw grasped its throat and with a crack of bone, the rabbit fell limp. Icepaw licked the blood off her paws. Hunting rabbits was a dirty job.

Mistpaw swiveled her ears to pick up the faintest sound. There was nothing. She hissed with irritation and padded father into the meadow. She heard a crack of a twig. Mistpaw spun around. A kit and a doe rabbit were wandering in the tall grass. Mistpaw crouched down low. Sassytail had only taught her how to hunt together. Never solo. Sassytail thought it was to dirty to hunt solo. Mistpaw growled. _I bet Icepaw had all the fun and experience with Breezefur_. Mistpaw snapped away the thought and chased after the rabbit; the doe shrieked. The doe tried to nudge the kit away, but the fat kit wouldn't budge.

 _Stupid baby rabbit_. Mistpaw sneered in her thoughts. She lunged at the kit and picked it up with one killing bite. The doe ran away. Mistpaw licked the blood off her whiskers and stared at the kit, who looked petrified in its death position. Deep inside, Mistpaw felt a lurch and a sorrow for the tiny baby.

Icepaw stood next to a rabbit burrow, waiting for a rabbit to run out. Doing this soothed her somehow. She felt a cold substance touch her head. _What in the name of MoonClan?_ Icepaw looked up. A little trickle of white flakes drifted from the sky. _What are these little flakes? Why are they so cold?_ Suddenly, the rabbits dashed into their burrows. Icepaw cocked her head. _Whatever it is, it's scaring the rabbits._ Icepaw closed her eyes and sat in what was now a heap of snow. _I've got to melt this somehow._ _When I froze the fresh-kill pile, I was mad. Maybe if I think of something happy I'll melt this weird ice,_ Icepaw thought. _Think of something happy. What about when I became an apprentice? I was very excited back then._

Icepaw felt the warmth in her heart grow. She purred with pleasure and a warm burst exploded in her paws. The snow slowly trickled away and a rabbit peeped its head out its burrow. Icepaw opened her eyes. _It's working!_ Soon enough, all the rabbits hopped out and started feeding again.

Icepaw killed them all, and now she had killed four rabbits. Breezefur came digging her way through the snow; she was carrying two fat squirrels.

"Hey Icepaw, it started snowing! We should head -WHOA!" Breezefur gasped at the sight of the rabbit heap. "Did you catch all that?!"

"Huh? Oh hi Breezefur! Yeah! I found a way to get - I mean yes, I did!" Icepaw stuttered a little.

"Wonderful! I wonder why all the rabbits didn't go back in their burrows. I mean, it is snowing!" Breezefur commented.

"What's snow?" Icepaw asked.

"Oh! Yeah, I thought you didn't what snow was. Well, snow is a soft, cold substance that scares away most prey. It can melt into water, and only happens during leaf-bare." Breezefur explained.

"I see." Icepaw mewed. "What about Mistpaw?"

"I'll go fetch her," Breezefur meowed. "You've got that heap to carry to camp though."

"I guess I can leave it for the dogs and crows." Icepaw suggested.

"No! This could feed the whole Clan!" Breezefur snapped. With that, she turned tail and marched to the far side. Icepaw sighed.

"Rabbit-dung!" Mistpaw hissed. She had just lost the mother of the kit rabbit again.

A couple heartbeats later Breezefur came.

"How was your hunting?" Breezefur asked, dropping her squirrels.

"It was okay. But stupid MoonClan decided it was time to snow!" Mistpaw spat with frustration.

"Don't insult MoonClan!" Breezefur scolded. "Icepaw managed to catch a lot."

Mistpaw rolled her eyes.

"Let's head to the hills. You and I are going to help Icepaw carry some prey." Breezefur picked up her squirrel and marched back to the hills; Mistpaw at her heels.

As soon as Mistpaw and Breezefur got to the hills, Mistpaw's jaw dropped. She stared at the enormous heap of prey.

"Wow, you really caught a lot of rabbits!" Mistpaw squealed.

Icepaw just shook her head. She knew that she had kind of cheated by melting the snow in order to catch family of rabbits.

"It's not _that_ much-"

"Well it sure looks like a lot!" Mistpaw mewed.

"Enough, you two. Let's take your prey back to camp."

Breezefur, Icepaw, and Mistpaw picked up their catches and headed back to camp. When they reached the camp, the guards, Nightjay and Treeheart, gaped.

"Great MoonClan!" Nightjay gasped. "Did _you_ catch all that, Icepaw?"

"Er… yeah…" Icepaw blushed; the rabbit she was carrying on her back almost slipped off.

"Amazing! Truly amazing!" Nightjay praised. "Great catches. All of you!"

Treeheart purred and licked Mistpaw's ears.

"Better put the fresh-kill on top of the fresh-kill ditch. There's nothing in it." Treeheart nodded, letting the three cats pad into camp.

Icepaw spat the two rabbits in her mouth into the ditch. Then she took off the four other rabbits on her back. Mistpaw narrowed her eyes and placed her two kits on top of her buck. Breezefur placed her squirrels on the very top.

"Great catch Icepaw! Lionstar must know about this!" Breezefur purred, trotting away.

Icepaw licked her chest a few times as cats praised and stared in awe at her. Mistpaw turned her head around in disgust. Flamepaw widened his eyes.

"I don't believe it…" Flamepaw gaped.

"You better." Icepaw hissed with pleasure; Flamepaw shot her a nasty look.

Lionstar came digging out the leaders' den.

"Aspenclaw! Dawnstrider!" Lionstar called, "Clear out all the snow please!"

Aspenclaw and Dawnstrider came dashed out their dens and started scooping away snow. Lionstar turned his attention towards Icepaw. Breezefur loped out the leaders' den. Lionstar gaped at the sight of the fresh-kill.

"Why, Icepaw. This… this is unbelievable! I… I can't imagine…" Lionstar stammered. He stopped gaping and cleared his throat, "We shall have a feast!"

Every cat swarming next to the fresh-kill pile. Mistpaw stalked up to Icepaw.

"Congratulations Icepaw. You win this time." Mistpaw snarled in Icepaw's ear. "But next time, I won't let you win so easily."

"You're just jealous. You're _way_ too self-centered!" Icepaw growled with hair bristling.

Mistpaw fluffed up her fur and lifted her chin. She whisked around and padded the other direction. Icepaw growled with frustration. _That cat never ceases to annoy me,_ Icepaw thought bitterly. Leafkit came tumbling to her.

"Share some prey with me!" Leafkit proposed, nudging a warm rabbit towards Icepaw.

"Thanks," Icepaw purred, taking a ravenous bite out of the rabbit.

Leafkit purred and sneezed when a snowflake melted on his nose. Nutkit and Flowerkit waded through the snow. Nutkit squeaked with surprise.

"Can we share some rabbit too?" Nutkit asked hopefully, "Flowerkit and I are hungry!"

"Sure!" Icepaw mewed happily; Leafkit snorted. It was clear he was hoping it would just be the two of them.

"Are you sure that you want a rabbit?" Leafkit asked. "It might have disgusting things in it."

"Leafkit! That is not how you're supposed to treat your sisters!" Icepaw scolded.

"I'm sorry." Leafkit snorted.

"It's okay." Nutkit mewed for both of them, tipping her head a little.

Icepaw purred with amusement. Seeing these kits bicker made her think of when she was their age. She would argue and fight with Mistpaw and Duskpaw all the time. Only Breezefur could stop them before they would drive the Clan crazy. She stopped purring and thought how becoming an apprentice had changed her friendships with her littermate and denmate. She cast a long glance at Mistpaw who was tearing away at her rabbit. _Why can't it go back to the way things used to be?_

"Icepaw, aren't you going to eat?" Nutkit mewed.

Icepaw snapped out of her thoughts and nodded towards Nutkit. Eagerly, she took a good sized bite out of the rabbit's thigh and gulped it down.

Leafkit stuffed his face with the juicy meat. His sisters were also eating and stuffing their mouths with food. Icepaw left the rest of the rabbit for Leafkit and his sisters to share. _He's so big._ Icepaw thought. _He's almost my size_. _Maybe he'll be my new friend. After all, he and his littermates are three moons away to being apprentices_.


	17. Chapter 16: Flying cats!

"Is there anything you need help with?" Duskpaw asked as Mintfur organized the medicine den. It had been a week since the feast of rabbits.

"No, I'm sorry Duskpaw. But as soon as Mossflower moves out of here, you can properly start to work as a medicine cat." Mintfur sighed as Mossflower growled at her.

"Okay then," Duskpaw sighed, "Maybe I'll go find Crazystorm."

"Why him?" Mossflower rasped. "You're a medicine cat."

"But there's nothing for me to do!" Duskpaw heaved another sigh. "I guess I could invent something in my spare time."

"That's actually a great idea!" Mintfur piped up. "Good thinking, Duskpaw."

"Er, thanks." Duskpaw sniffed and trotted out the den.

The light blanket of snow only reached until Duskpaw's toes. She shivered as a cold wind swept in the camp. Duskpaw quickly padded to the inventors' den. The den was messy with moss and other particles and substances. Dawnstrider was busy pawing at the frozen moss. She heard Duskpaw come in and snapped her head up.

"I thought you were a medicine cat," Dawnstrider sneered. "Got kicked out?"

"No, they had nothing for me to do so Mintfur let me invent some things in my spare time." Duskpaw replied, trying not to twitch her tail with annoyance.

"Wonderful." Dawnstrider mewed sarcastically. "Just don't interrupt my work."

Duskpaw rolled her eyes and set to work. _What to make?_ Duskpaw gazed around at the messy den. _It's been a long time since I've seen this den._ Duskpaw snagged some wet moss from the ground and plastered it with some muddling clay.

A couple hours later, Duskpaw smoothed out her final production. The catapult. Dawnstrider inspected the object.

"And what is _this_ supposed to do?" Dawnstrider narrowed her eyes.

"It's a catapult. Instead of having to escort the exiled cats to DumbClan, you just fling them there." Duskpaw shrugged.

"Isn't that going to kill them?" Dawnstrider sniffed.

"Not exactly. Maybe bruise them a little, but nothing too serious." Duskpaw muttered. "I'm going to go show this to Lionstar." She pushed the object out the den.

"Lionstar! I need to show you something!" Duskpaw called; Lionstar slid out of his den.

"Yes Duskpaw?" Lionstar mewed, he gaped at the sight of the catapult. "What in the name of MoonClan is that?"

"It's a catapult."

Lionstar was still staring. "What does it do?"

"Well, why escort DumbClan members when you can fling them off? No arguing done." Duskpaw said.

Lionstar finally broke his silence. "Well, we have a cats to fling."

"Like Duskpaw?" Cherryleaf asked hopefully; Lionstar hissed with annoyance.

Lionstar padded up to Duskpaw.

"Fling Crazystorm out here. He's so dumb and annoying!" Lionstar commanded.

"Wh… What? Fling Crazystorm? Are you crazy?" Duskpaw whispered back.

"No, he's the one who's crazy!" Lionstar yowled. "Who agrees with me?"

The Clan roared. Crazystorm was pushed in front of Lionstar who was standing eagerly by the catapult.

"Vat si oing no?" Crazystorm asked; there was fear in his mew.

"Get on the catapult!" Lionstar hissed. "NOW!"

"Si… si nod't nunderand!" Crazystorm warbled frantically. "Vat idd Si od?"

Crazystorm was pushed onto the catapult. Duskpaw backed away from the chanting cats. _How could they be so cruel?_ Duskpaw felt hollow; she caught Crazystorm throwing a grim look at her.

"We have Duskpaw to thank for making this wonderful invention!" Lionstar purred; a couple of cats cheered. "Now, how do you work this thing?"

"You…press the b...button…" Duskpaw whimpered; Lionstar put his paw on the button.

Duskpaw closed her eyes. _What have I done?_ Duskpaw thought frantically. She had a horrible feeling that she heard Crazystorm whisper the word _traitor._

Lionstar evilly pressed the button and Crazystorm was flung in the air.

"AHHHHHHHhhhhhhhhhh!" Crazystorm screamed, flying in the air.

"That proves the logic of flying cats." Lionstar mewed with amusement. The Clan chortled with laughter.

Icepaw padded up to her shocked sister.

"Why did you do that?" Icepaw asked; there was sympathy in her mew.

"I...I didn't k...know that h...he'd fling C...Crazystorm…" Duskpaw sniffed; a fat tear rolling down her cheek.

Duskpaw sniffled and she cried. _I'm so sorry Crazystorm! I"M SORRY!_ Duskpaw pelted for the medicine den. She leapt into her nest and buried her paws in her fur. Mintfur caught her weeping miserably. She just sighed and shook her head. Mintfur whipped around, not looking at Duskpaw. Mossflower entered the den, she curled up next to Duskpaw.

"That was a mistake." Mossflower mewed, stroking her tail against Duskpaw's back, "None of us knew that Lionstar held a grudge for Crazystorm."

"Mossflower's right. Duskpaw, it's not your fault." Mintfur mewed from the storage room in the den.

"B...but if I hadn't created th...that monstrosity, Crazystorm would still be here!" Duskpaw cried.

"You need some fresh air to soothe you. A nice walk will be nice." Mossflower suggested. Mintfur said nothing.

"NO! I'm a disgrace to the inventors!" Duskpaw wailed. "Can I just have some thyme or poppy seeds?"

"Get out!" Mossflower demanded. "GET OUT!"

Duskpaw scrambled out of her nest, frightened. She ran out of the medicine den without a reply. _Everyone hates me…_ Duskpaw thought through tears. Mintfur watched Duskpaw pelt away and glared at Mossflower.

"What was that for?" Mintfur hissed. "She needs rest."

"It's for her better good." Mossflower shrugged.

Duskpaw lay down in a soft part of the camp. Blossomheart loomed over her.

"Why did you do that?!" Blossomheart growled. "He's not stupid, you know!"

"I didn't know…" Duskpaw weeped.

"I know, Lionstar condemns cats too easily." Blossomheart sighed. "I'm sorry I snapped."

"I thought you'd be angry." Duskpaw mewed, looking up at her mother.

"Well, I used to favor you." Blossomheart looked away; Duskpaw was hurt.

"Oh…" Duskpaw sighed; Blossomheart gazed at her daughter's hurt face.

"But I still do today," Blossomheart mewed lovingly, nuzzling her daughter. "You will always be in my heart."

Duskpaw felt a warm glow in her heart. No cat has ever been so warm to her. Not even Icepaw or Nightjay. Duskpaw purred and pulled away from her mother.

"Thank you for understanding." Duskpaw whispered.

"No problem. You're my favored daughter after all." Blossomheart purred.

"What about Icepaw?" Duskpaw questioned; Blossomheart fell silent. Duskpaw stared at her mother.

"You might want to go explain everything to Sassytail. Crazystorm's the only family she had." Blossomheart finally said.

Duskpaw's mother padded away, leaving Duskpaw a little angry.


	18. Chapter 17: Light and Dusk

**Last one!**

* * *

The night was cool and the smell of rancid fresh-kill flowed through the camp. A handful of lazy stars blinked in the west. Duskpaw watched Berrysplash and Aspenclaw grimace as they carried the rotting fresh-kill away. The preceding day had left her tired, but she remembered that she had to meet Lightpaw every other night to learn. For, Mintfur was too busy with Mossflower to give Duskpaw proper medicine cat lessons. Duskpaw rose to leave. She'd have to go undercover. She needed a new tactic to get out of camp. Duskpaw padded up to the sentries. Nightjay purred at the sight of his eldest daughter.

"Hello Duskpaw," Nightjay greeted. "What brings you to the heather?"

"Dad, you don't need to talk formal to me you now. I'm not the Clan leader or something." Duskpaw purred.

"You're a medicine cat. And they need to be respected." Nightjay mewed simply. "Now answer my question."

"I'm going to make dirt," Duskpaw replied, trying hard not to laugh.

"Very well," Nightjay let Duskpaw pass.

Duskpaw gasped for breath; that was too close. She padded along the trail. Duskpaw stuck a stick in the ground and bent it. Duskpaw followed the trail and through weeds of MeadowClan. She was nearing the border.

The sound of water caught Duskpaw's attention. _The stream!_ Duskpaw padded farther into the thorn bushes. Lightpaw was waiting there already.

"What took you so long? I've been waiting for _moons_!" Lightpaw joked.

"Hey, you don't have to travel _miles_ to get to the stream." Duskpaw retorted playfully. "What can you teach me?"

"I'm going to show you how to kit someone." Lightpaw mewed.

"What?!" Duskpaw cocked her head. "Why? Mintfur can teach me that."

"Don't you remember the prophecy?" Lightpaw questioned. "Oh right, you don't. Well, medicine cats can mate now! Didn't Mintfur tell you?"

"No," Duskpaw was shocked. "Medicine cats can now… _mate_? That's been against the code for moons!"

"Well, now it isn't!" Lightpaw squealed. "I'm close to becoming a full-fledged medicine cat. Tallfoot's pretty handsome. He's also very young. He wouldn't mate Hazelstripe because surprisingly, they're littermates!" Lightpaw sighed dreamily. "We'll have tons of kits together."

Duskpaw purred with amusement.

"Can we get to the real point now?" Duskpaw asked.

"Oh.. Oh yes, of course." Lightpaw blushed. "Okay. When someone is kitting, here, I'll mimic one."

Lightpaw got to the ground and started moaning in pretend pain. Duskpaw cocked her head.

"You want to run your paw over the kitting queen's belly. In other words, just feel the kitting queen's belly." Lightpaw instructed; Duskpaw did just that, but she felt a little uncomfortable.

"Now, make sure the kits are coming along well." Lightpaw continued to explain and Duskpaw felt more comfortable.

A crack of twig caught Lightpaw's attention. She sniffed the air and gasped.

"Duskpaw, you must go! I smell an StormClan patrol headed this way!"

"Thanks for teaching me, next time?" Duskpaw dipped her head.

"Next time." Lightpaw agreed.

Duskpaw bounded away and Lightpaw returned to the other side of the stream. Duskpaw hid behind a rosebush and watched a StormClan warrior scold Lightpaw for running away. Duskpaw padded away. A bushy pelt brushed up against her. It was Darkpelt.

"What are you doing here?" Darkpelt asked; there was a hint of suspicion in his tone.

"I went to make dirt." Duskpaw mewed.

"Out here?" Darkpelt looked around the bushy area. "In a thorn bush?"

"Nevermind that, let's just go home." Duskpaw shook her head.

Duskpaw swore that she saw Darkpelt narrow his eyes. She followed him back to camp. Once the two reached the camp, Blossomheart burst from the clearing.

"My sweet, sweet kit! Don't ever run off like that again!" Blossomheart nuzzled Duskpaw all over.

"I just went to make dirt!" Duskpaw protested; twitching her tail with embarrassment.

"In a thorn bush," Darkpelt muttered.

Cherryleaf's mouth curled into a snarl and Dawnstrider narrowed her eyes. Duskpaw glared at both of them.

* * *

 **And the last chapter is the one with the question because nobody answers to questions in the middle of the story.**

 **Question:  
What do you think will happen to Duskpaw and Lightpaw's meetings? What will be the reaction when they are found out (yes, they will eventually)? **


	19. Chapter 18: Ice dream

Lionstar stretched his paws and looked down at the commotion. He narrowed his eyes. _Duskpaw has always been a troublemaker,_ Lionstar thought. He leaped off the Meeting Rock, because he was just lying on it. Lionstar padded to the nursery where Leafkit came tumbling out. Lionstar yelped with surprise.

"Hi daddy!" Leafkit squeaked, straightening up.

"Hello Leafkit. How's my little warrior doing?" Lionstar purred.

"I'm fine, what are you doing here?"

"I came to visit you and your mother," Lionstar replied, looking up when a snowflake hit him.

"Okay, shall I go get her?" Leafkit asked.

"No," Lionstar yawned; taking care of the Clan was a tiring job.

"You look tired. You need rest." Leafkit sighed, pressing a paw on his father.

"You're right, little one, I think I'll go take a nap. It is in the middle of the night." Lionstar yawned once more and padded to his den.

Inside the leaders' den was warm and soft. Lionstar's nest was lined with pretty feathers and young grass. Lionstar settled down and let his eyes droop.

Lionstar awoke with a startle. He was in MoonClan having a dream! A starry, flame-colored tom came padding to him.

"W...who are you?" Lionstar asked.

"I am Firestar. The legendary warrior from the original forest." Firestar mewed.

"Who?" Lionstar tilted his head.

"They haven't told you?" Firestar muttered.

"Told me what?" Lionstar sighed; this was confusing. When he was a kit and when he was an apprentice, he barely had time for elders' den stories.

"I'll tell you myself," Firestar murmured. "Long ago, there were five Clans named ThunderClan, ShadowClan, WindClan, RiverClan, and SkyClan There was a terrible cough that was named deathcough. It killed any cat who had it. There was no cure. Almost every cat in every Clan had this illness. In order to keep the Clans going, each leader sent the most healthy warrior in their Clan to start a new Clan. Those warriors were Meadowfoot from WindClan, Owlwhisker from ShadowClan, Lakeheart from RiverClan, Stormsong from ThunderClan, and Moonshine from SkyClan. Moonshine was the first to die in the long journey. And StarClan was not able to follow the traveling cats, so they renamed the new StarClan as MoonClan. StarClan was able to find MoonClan afterwards, but the traveling cats decided to keep the name MoonClan. Then, the remaining four cats created their own Clans, persuading rogues and kittypets to join them. This created the current Clans today. MeadowClan after Meadowfoot, OwlClan after Owlwhisker, LakeClan after Lakeheart, and StormClan after Stormsong."

"I still don't get it. Why are you coming to me?" Lionstar asked.

"I need to tell you something. Something very important," Firestar whispered.

"Tell me!" Lionstar urged; he leaned forwards.

"Come with me, and you will see." Firestar beckoned Lionstar to follow.

Lionstar obeyed and followed the legendary leader to a silvery pool that was shining in the dim light.

"Put your head in it and you will see," Firestar ordered.

"But I'll drown!" Lionstar protested; Firestar shook his head.

Lionstar reluctantly put his head in the pool. A flash of light blinded Lionstar. After the flash, Lionstar found himself next to Icepaw, although she was a warrior now. Lionstar opened his mouth to speak, but no sound came out. Icepaw, as a warrior, was talking with Leafkit, who was a warrior as well. Icepaw as a warrior shook her head and Leafkit was enraged. Another flash of light blinded Lionstar and he was sucked into another vision. This time, Lionstar found himself on DumbClan territory with Leafkit on it. Lionstar widened his eyes. _My son! Leafkit is being banished to DumbClan!_ Lionstar scrambled to his paws and followed Leafkit. But another flash of light struck the weary leader. In the next vision, Lionstar found himself in the midst of battle. Lionstar gazed up and caught a glimpse of Leafkit, but he had a star on his forehead. He was the leader of DumbClan, and leading his new Clan into battle. Leafkit looked insanely evil. Once again, the light hit Lionstar and this time, he was back in the dreamworld. Lionstar panted.

"No… this… this cannot happen!" Lionstar gasped, "My son will not be banished to DumbClan because of Icepaw! I… I'll just have to get rid of her."

"Lionstar, that is not the point!" Firestar pleaded, "You must understand, there is a whole other reason behind this! You didn't see all the details! Killing Icepaw won't help you anyway! It will-"

"Shut up!" Lionstar growled. "I don't care what you say. I'm going to do it."

Without another reply Lionstar vanished in midair from the dream. Firestar sighed.

"It will lead you to your death if you try and kill Icepaw."

Lionstar woke up with a jolt. He narrowed his eyes. _I must kill Icepaw._ Lionstar got up and stalked out the leaders' den. He growled at the sight of Icepaw playing with Leafkit. Nightjay came padding up to him.

"You slept in late." Nightjay nudged his tired leader.

"I'm fine," Lionstar muttered, inching away from his deputy.

"Okay, shall I organize the patrols, then?" Nightjay mewed gently.

"Yes, but don't put Icepaw in any of them."

"Are you sure? She'll be very disappointed." Nightjay muttered, knowing his younger daughter well.

"Don't you dare question me!" Lionstar hissed.

"Of course." Nightjay was taken aback.

Lionstar stalked out his den with Nightjay trailing behind him. _I must kill Icepaw, I must kill Icepaw_. Those word hung over Lionstar like spiders. Nightjay padded to the clearing where he was organizing the patrols. Lionstar narrowed his eyes and padded to Icepaw.

"Icepaw, come walk with me." Lionstar beckoned; trying to sound nice.

"Sure, but why?" Icepaw cocked her head.

"Just come!" Lionstar snapped; Icepaw flattened her ears.

"Okay…" Icepaw narrowed her eyes for a moment.

Without another reply, Lionstar whisked around and stomped out the camp. Icepaw hot at his heels. Mistpaw narrowed her eyes as Lionstar led Icepaw out of camp. _Trying to convince Lionstar that she's the most talented apprentice of all time!_ Mistpaw scowled. _Not on my watch._ Mistpaw followed Icepaw's scent trail.

Lionstar led her past where Icepaw familiar from. Icepaw tried to stick close to her leader, but he would always inch away from her.

"Where are we going?" Icepaw whispered; there was a hint of fear in her mew.

"You'll see." Lionstar growled.

Lionstar stopped in a foggy clearing. There was no Clan scent here. Only the scent of crowfood. The fog reeked of stink. Icepaw narrowed her eyes. Mistpaw hid in a bush just behind Icepaw.

"Where are we?" Icepaw suddenly demanded.

Lionstar glared at Icepaw. Icepaw regretted her words.

"We." Lionstar hissed; his voice becoming dangerously low. "We are in DumbClan territory."


	20. Chapter 19: Accident

"Why did you bring me here?" Icepaw whimpered; Mistpaw cocked her head.

"You should _know_ why!" Lionstar hissed.

"I… I don't understand!" Icepaw shrank into her pelt

"You are going to make my son evil! You are the reason he's going to be banished to DumbClan! AND I'M NOT GOING TO WATCH MY SON GET BANISHED!" Lionstar roared; Mistpaw gasped.

"W..what? That's just ridiculous! I've never heard-" Icepaw protested.

"SHUT UP!" Lionstar spat, "I'M GOING TO KILL YOU! AND WHEN YOU'RE GONE, MY SON WILL BE SAFE! YOU ARE A _MONSTROSITY!"_

Lionstar lunged at Icepaw. Icepaw was frozen to the spot. Lionstar swiped at Icepaw and sent her tumbling back. They were dangerously close to the cliff. Icepaw scrambled to her paws, her pelt was bleeding badly. Lionstar jumped and slashed Icepaw's back. Icepaw screeched with pain as blood came splashing out. Mistpaw leapt out of her hiding place and tried to knock Lionstar off his feet.

"Mistpaw! What in the name of-" Icepaw gasped.

Lionstar hurled himself at Mistpaw and swiped at her chest. Mistpaw went flying across to clearing and with a _thud_ , she hit the ground. Mistpaw lay behind Icepaw motionless.

"No…" Icepaw's eyes were a blur.

Out of the blue, a white pelt came crashing into Lionstar.

"Crazystorm!" Icepaw gasped, "Thank MoonClan!"

Crazystorm sent stinging blows at Lionstar that made him wince in pain and step back.

"Crazystorm! What in the name of MoonClan are you doing? She's the one you should be attacking! She's evil!" Lionstar screeched.

"Never! You banished me! You don't get the point of the prophecy! Like Firestar said! You didn't see all the details! Leafkit's the one who's going to become evil!" Crazystorm yowled.

Lionstar's mouth came flying open.

"I...I…" Lionstar stammered; blood dripping out from his mouth, "I didn't realize."

"That's your problem." Crazystorm hissed.

Crazystorm gave Lionstar a final push and Lionstar went crashing down the cliff. There was a horrible screech, a crack of bone, and then silence. Icepaw whimpered.

"Crazystorm! You-you saved my life!" Icepaw sniffed, "And you can talk normal!"

"Yeah, I guess my head went right when I crashed into DumbClan territory." Crazystorm shrugged.

"Are… are you going to stay in DumbClan?" Icepaw questioned.

"I don't know. I want to come back though." Crazystorm's eyes turned wistful.

"You can! You're a savior! The Clan will respect you!" Icepaw piped up.

"Yeah, but Heatherfur won't. Nor will her kits."

"Why did you kill him? You could've saved him!" Icepaw blurted; Crazystorm stared at her.

"I didn't save him because I needed revenge. An eye for an eye." Crazystorm mewed flatly, "He was also going to kill one of the most important cats in the world."

"B...but how do you know about the prophecy?" Icepaw cocked her head.

"It was given to me in a dream. I was napping when Lionstar was leading you to DumbClan territory. Firestar snapped into my dreams and told me to rescue you. So I did what I was told." Crazystorm explained.

"This is great! You saved me, you can come back!" Icepaw squealed, wincing a bit when the cut in her back fought against her.

"But I'll just be an outcast…" Crazystorm cast his gaze downwards.

"You won't be an outcast." Icepaw mewed reassuringly, "You will be one of the most greatest inventors there will ever be!"

"There's not much we can do but try to explain what happened." Crazystorm sighed, "Every cat will think I'm lying. We need a witness."

"But we have no witness since Mistpaw is… dead ..." Icepaw lowered her head, "I guess you're right. You might as well stay…"

Icepaw angled her ears towards Mistpaw's body. _She can't be dead._ Icepaw bent over her friend. _Mistpaw, please…_

"I should've saved her." Icepaw whispered, "It's my fault she's d-"

"I...I'm not d...dead!" Mistpaw shivered, turning her body to face Icepaw, "T...take me back t...to camp…"

"Mistpaw! You're alive!" Icepaw sighed with relief.

"I'm sorry, I should leapt out on time. B...before Lionstar could attack…" Mistpaw moaned softly; blood was trickling out her mouth.

"Don't just stand there!" Icepaw shrieked to Crazystorm, "Help her!"

"The least we could do is take her back to camp." Crazystorm mewed, "Put her on my back."

Icepaw carefully lifted her limp friend onto Crazystorm's back. The travel back to camp was a long one. Icepaw stared at Mistpaw. _I should've saved her…_

Once the trio got back to camp. Treeheart screeched at flung himself at Crazystorm.

"Murderer!" Treeheart hissed; he sliced Crazystorm's ear.

"Stop…" Mistpaw gasped. "Lionstar… dead… Crazystorm and Icepaw… saved me…"

"Explain yourself!" Berrytail shrieked; more cats swept into the clearing.

"Lionstar took me to DumbClan territory. He… he said that I was a monster and tried to kill me. Mistpaw was spying on us, well I think so, and she leapt out and tried to fend Lionstar off. Lionstar swiped at her and she, well, she might die! Lionstar attacked me again and then Crazystorm came because MoonClan sent him to save me." Icepaw sobbed.

"How do we know you're not lying?" Cherryleaf challenged.

"I...I'm a witness…" Mistpaw shuddered.

"Mossflower! Mintfur! Duskpaw!" Nightjay called.

The three medicine cats came rushing out the den. Duskpaw stole a quick glance at Crazystorm. Crazystorm's eye shone with some sort of emotion. Mossflower escorted the two, injured cats to the den and Duskpaw prepared the herbs. Mintfur carried Mistpaw on her back and lay her down inside the den.

Icepaw stared at Mistpaw and started to cry even harder.

"I should have done something!" she wailed.

Nightjay padded over to comfort her.

"No cat knew that Lionstar wanted to kill you," Nightjay soothed, "No cat knew that Mistpaw had followed. You're her friend and she wouldn't want to see you die."

"How can you be so sure?!" Icepaw blurted; Mistpaw had hated her before.

"Icepaw! Come here please!" Mintfur called, "I need to see those wounds."

Icepaw nodded and limped to the medicine den.

"Icepaw, first tell me what happened when you were attacked." Mintfur demanded, leading her away to the back of the den.

"What about Mistpaw? What about Crazystorm?" Icepaw shuddered.

"Duskpaw can handle them. She is a gifted cat." Mintfur mewed; Icepaw tried to snort. "Now tell me what happened."

"Well…Well at first Lionstar asked me to go on…on a walk with him. Then he told me we were on DumbClan territory. I told him I didn't understand but it just made him more angry. He said that I was going to make Leafkit evil. That's when he striked and attacked…. I couldn't fight because I was petrified, and that's when Mistpaw and Crazystorm came and saved my life... " Icepaw broke down into hysterical tears.

Mintfur absorbed all the information like a sponge absorbing water.

"Thank you for telling me this. We should get back and check those brutal wounds." Mintfur nodded, her mew grave.

* * *

 **Lionstar's still gonna go to MoonClan. He thinks he's doing the right thing.  
:D  
~Dusksong of MeadowClan**


	21. Chapter 20: A dark mystery

**Um...hehehe...did I leave all you guys hanging for over a month?**

 **...At least the next chapter is here!**

* * *

Icepaw woke to find herself resting in the medicine den. Mistpaw lay motionless beside her and Crazystorm was nowhere to be seen. Icepaw tried to turn her body around but her soreness took over her. Icepaw moaned in pain.

Duskpaw came trotting in, "Is there anything you need?"

"Where's Crazystorm?" Icepaw rasped.

Duskpaw's gaze darkened, "He's outside helping the Clan. He's trying to get Heatherfur to stop crying. Nutkit and Flowerkit kind of hate their father now. You were very good friends with them and their father didn't really see them that much. Leafkit, I don't know about him."

Icepaw put her head down, "Bring in Crazystorm, please. I need to see him."

"Oh and did you know that he can talk normal? Dad will have to-" Duskpaw mewed cheerfully.

"I just want to see Crazystorm!" Icepaw snapped. Duskpaw had a tendency to talk fast when she was excited.

Duskpaw stopped and turned and stalked out the medicine den. She returned with Crazystorm, and then she nodded and left.

"You wanted to see me?" Crazystorm asked.

"Yes. I wanted to know if you were okay." Icepaw croaked.

"I'm well." Crazystorm cast his gaze at Mistpaw, "I don't know about her."

"Do you know more about, well… the prophecy?" Icepaw suddenly asked.

Crazystorm faced her.

"I'm sorry, if you don't know…" Icepaw looked down.

"You should get some rest." Crazystorm muttered, "I'll be in the inventor's den if you need me."

Without another reply, Crazystorm stalked out the den. Icepaw felt hollow, and a deep fear inside her started to rise.

Mistpaw moaned and forced her eyelids open. Icepaw turned her head sharply around.

"Mistpaw! You're okay!" Icepaw gasped.

"Yes… I am… are you?" Mistpaw whispered; barely able to speak.

"I'm fine." Icepaw lowered her gaze, "Thanks for saving me back there. I should've done something to help you."

"No problem. And, I saved you for a reason," Mistpaw rasped; a worm of guilt squirmed in her stomach, "I decided to spy on you because I was jealous. I thought you were going to persuade Lionstar to praise or do something in your favor again. But when I watched Lionstar attack you, I had to forgive you. You are a gifted, skilled she-cat. I wish I could be as good as you."

"Oh…" Icepaw sighed.

"I'm sorry…" Mistpaw whispered, "Please forgive me…"

"Alright. I forgive you." Icepaw purred; a tear ran down her cheek, "We're still friends."

"Thank… you…" Mistpaw gave a faint purr, and collapsed in her nest.

Icepaw stared blankly at her friend. Duskpaw wandered in and glanced at Icepaw.

"Is there anything you can do for her?" Icepaw asked,

"No. I'm sorry. Her fate lies with MoonClan." Duskpaw mewed flatly.

Icepaw put her head down. Her brain was being taken over by the darkness that threatened her mind. Icepaw's vision became a blur. She saw Duskpaw turn and leave the medicine den.

Icepaw opened her eyes and found herself on an endless field. The grass was stained with blood and the sky were gloomy and grey. _Where am I?_ Icepaw wondered. She squinted. There was a faint outline of a cat. The outline was coming closer, and closer. Icepaw waited, unable to move. Her muscles were sore and she felt like collapsing. The outline was now a ghostly she-cat that stood before Icepaw.

"Icepaw, welcome." the ghostly she-cat whispered.

"Who are you?" Icepaw whimpered.

"I am Brokenheart." Brokenheart mewed.

"Brokenheart?" Icepaw cocked her head, "What a sad name!"

"My hideous mother gave my name to me when I got scarred on the eye." Brokenheart mewed flatly, "She neglected me. I was heartbroken. I searched for a mate. Then I met Brownspots. I had a pair of kits, but then, Brownspots neglected them. I attacked him in rage, killing him. The Clan witnessed this. They kicked me out. When I was traveling through unknown territory, I found my two kits washed up in a stream, dead. My heart was broken. My original name was Brokenface, but I changed it to Brokenheart. For, my heart can never be mended. I do not blame my Clan. I blame my mother for neglecting me."

"What a sad story!" Icepaw's heart pricked with pain, "And one more question, where am I exactly?"

"I can't exactly tell you where we are, let's just say we are in MoonClan and you're having a dream."

"Oh," Icepaw replied, looking down.

Brokenheart beckoned for Icepaw to follow her further into the fields.

Icepaw followed with interest and fear. It was bubbling fast within her stomach.

"We are here." Brokenheart murmured.

"What do you mean?"

"You are going to meet some of my friends here." Brokenheart nodded, "Meet my comrades. Icepaw, this is Longclaw, the tabby over there. The she-cat with one missing ear is Noear."

 _What odd names!_ Icepaw thought. _They sound like DumbClan names…_ Now usually Icepaw would have been happy to meet new cats but, these cats were very strange. Noear was eyeing Icepaw gleefully and Longclaw's claws were well, very long. Icepaw wanted to turn into her ball form.

"Tell her why I brought her here." Brokenheart demanded.

"You were brought here to be made a choice." Noear smirked, "Whether you are with us or not."

"Of course I'm with MoonClan!" Icepaw protested; Noear glared at Brokenheart, "Did I do something wrong?"

"No of course not!" Noear blurted, "It's just that, your friend did."

"Who? Mistpaw?" Icepaw tilted her head, "What did she do wrong?"

"Well, once you think about it, she did a lot of things wrong." Noear explained, "First she hated you, next she treated you like an outsider; and not a clanmate, and she spied on you! What kind of a 'friend' is that?"

"But… she…" Icepaw shook her head; Noear was right, what was Mistpaw thinking?

"You could either stand with MoonClan, or stand with the traitor." Brokenheart growled, stepping up.

"I...I…" Icepaw looked around frantically, "I stand with MoonClan!"

"Good," Longclaw turned to Noear and Brokenheart and whispered, "So she is with us after all. She will be a perfect candidate for us."

"I wouldn't be sure about that yet," Noear mewed softly, "She is still a 'paw and doesn't know the area like we do."

"Oh lighten up, Noear! We'll just have to keep walking in her dreams," Brokenheart hissed. "That is all."

Longclaw nodded and turned back to Icepaw.

"Icepaw, we will visit you more often. You will get to know us more. We will help you train and will help you become the best warrior there ever was." Longclaw vowed, "But only on one condition. You must obey and support us in any way you can. Even if it is killing your own Clanmate."

Icepaw thought about this deal, she nodded, "Yes. Of course I will listen to MoonClan." And with that, she vanished into the mist.

Longclaw smirked, "What a fool, beliving this was MoonClan."

"A fool yes, but a powerful cat?" Noear nudged Longclaw, "We _need_ her to think it is MoonClan. Aren't all the Clan cats so loyal to the treacherous heavens above?"

"When the time is right," Brokenheart snarled, "We shall have our vengeance."

Saying these words made Brokenheart feel support, but deep down, she felt a tiny worm of hope that her heart could be mended.

* * *

 **Next chapter will be longer, 2,000 words! :)  
And weird things (like what, Tigerstar?) will be explained at some point.  
I have started writing on the 2nd book with my friends, which will be much less weird and boring (Tip: Write ahead so that if you can't write you still can post)! But there's 27 chapters to this story, so be patient!  
~Dusksong of MeadowClan**


	22. Chapter 21: A new leader

**Uh...hi! Hehe...**

 **Sorry, I was really lazy about uploading. We're still writing, though (lol we're on chapter 3 of the third book) and I'll TRY to update more...Here's a zillion more chapters, I will add chapters until #26.**

* * *

Icepaw woke up just as the dawn patrol came back. She turned around to see Mistpaw still sound asleep. The Clan was shaken about their leader's death. Now her father was going to journey to the Moontree tonight. Icepaw glared at Mistpaw as Mintfur padded in.

"Good morning Icepaw, are you feeling up for a walk today?" Mintfur questioned.

"Sure," Icepaw nodded, scrambling out of her nest; eager to walk.

"Good! Mistpaw can't come though, her wounds are way too deep! She has brutal gashes all over her!" Mintfur's mew grew somber.

"It's okay if she doesn't come." Icepaw mewed happily; one less traitor to deal with!

Mintfur nodded, she led Icepaw out the camp. Together, the she-cats walked slowly around the moor. Mintfur gazed up to the sky.

"Has MoonClan told anything else about the prophecy to you yet?" Mintfur suddenly asked.

"Well, no. I did have a dream though." Icepaw replied, "It was a very strange dream."

"Tell me." Mintfur sat down; so did Icepaw.

"I was in MoonClan. But the setting was… off. There was a field of endless grass." Icepaw started, "Isn't there supposed to be the same territory as us?'

"Yes." Mintfur narrowed her eyes, "Keep going."

"Anyway, the grass was stained with blood and the sky was gloomy with clouds overhead. I thought this was very strange. Then a cat appeared. Her name was-" Icepaw stopped for a moment, "I forgot what her name was. But she told me that she could train me to be the best warrior I could ever be! Then there were two more cats. They had scars all over them and such odd names. They sounded like DumbClan names to me. One of them made a promise to me. He said 'Icepaw, we will visit you more often. You will get to know us more. We will help you train and will help you become the best warrior there ever was. But only on one condition. You must obey and support us in any way you can. Even if it is killing your own Clanmate.' So there. That's what happened."

"This was 'MoonClan' you say?" Mintfur growled, "Well, they certainly were acting very strange."

"I know right?" Icepaw piped up, "It's kind of like, there's a second place where cats go! Besides MoonClan."

Mintfur's eyes turned into slits. The color almost drained right out of her face.

"I...Icepaw…" Mintfur stuttered, "We need to head back to camp. Promise me you'll never visit these cats again."

"But I can't control my dreams!" Icepaw protested; but Mintfur wasn't listening, she was already pelting for camp. Icepaw trotted slowly after her.

Once Mintfur and Icepaw arrived at camp, Mintfur dashed straight to Mossflower.

"Go get some fresh-kill Icepaw!" Mintfur yelled over her shoulder; Icepaw cocked her head.

Mintfur skidded to a halt when she reached Mossflower, who was nosing around in the traveling herb section.

"Mossflower *pant* I need to *pant* talk to you *pant* about something very *pant* important." Mintfur panted.

"Oh?" Mossflower turned around.

"We need to talk about it in private." Mintfur mewed urgently.

"Keep your tail on, I'm coming." Mossflower huffed.

Mintfur led Mossflower to the back of the medicine den. Both the medicine cats sat down.

"What is it?" Mossflower growled.

"Where do DumbClan cats go when they die? They don't go to MoonClan do they? I mean after all, they are traitors." Mintfur tilted her head.

"Well. I guess they just vanish." Mossflower shrugged, "No cat in the Clans would ever want to remember them right? Unless they're littermates. I've wondered that too. Maybe there's a special place where DumbClan cats go."

"Would that special place have endless fields of bloodstained grass and gloomy skies?" Mintfur asked.

"Sure." Mossflower shrugged again, "I don't know though. Why you ask?"

"Just asking."

Mossflower gave Mintfur a suspicious look, "Very well." She growled. Mossflower stalked away. Mintfur had a bad feeling about Icepaw's dream.

Later that day, Mossflower padded in the inventors' den only to find Dawnstrider pawing at the materials. Mossflower coughed to get her attention. Dawnstrider whipped around.

"Oh, hello Mossflower." Dawnstrider greeted; her voice unnaturally mature, "What are you doing in here? Do you need something?"

"Yes, I need to see Snowpelt." Mossflower sniffed.

"I'm afraid he's out with Blossomheart collecting supplies for his newest invention." Dawnstrider explained, "Do you need something from him?"

"Yes. I need a rabbit-in-a-leaf. I'm traveling to the Moontree with Nightjay." Mossflower dipped her head.

"Oh." Dawnstrider's voice rose a pitch; her gaze was now a hateful one, "I'll get you some." She nudged a small package of stinking rabbit, "It's a bit stale."

"Fine enough for me." Mossflower huffed, picking up the package, "Fanks!"

Dawnstrider nodded and Mossflower hurried out the den. Nightjay was waiting at the entrance of camp.

"Sorry for the wait." Mossflower dipped her head, "I was just getting some rabbit-in-a-leaf."

"No worries, it's still early. The skies are only pink." Nightjay mewed calmly.

Mossflower nodded and the two headed out of camp. Blossomheart and Snowpelt ambushed them on their way out. Blossomheart dropped the stick she was carrying.

"You're leaving? Already?!" Blossomheart fretted.

"Yeah, it's a long way to the Moontree." Mossflower sniffed.

"Goodbye then. Did you see our kits before you left?" Blossomheart asked.

"Of course." Nightjay purred.

"Alright. Safe travels. Try not to get hurt or killed." Blossomheart nuzzled Nightjay's cheek.

"I'll be alright." Nightjay whispered. "See you later, my love." He touched noses with Blossomheart; Mossflower flinched.

Blossomheart picked up her stick as Nightjay followed Mossflower through more heather.

Mossflower led the way to the Moontree. Nightjay gazed around the different territories they past, looking around in excitement like a kit.

"Nightjay," Mossflower started, "I wondered how it feels to have some cat love you. You know, being mates and all."

"Oh." Nightjay sniffed, not looking at Mossflower, "Then you shouldn't have became a medicine cat when we were younger."

"I know." Mossflower looked down, "It's just that the smell of herbs always attracted me."

"Then you should've mated the medicine den." Nightjay snorted.

Mossflower stared in shock. No cat has _ever_ talked to her like that before, "Let's just get moving." She finally snapped.

Mossflower marched in front of Nightjay who was mumbling about something. But Nightjay was right. She could mate now, but she was very old. And like Mintfur said, she'd be moving into the elders' den soon. She'll never have been able to have kits. _Maybe I shouldn't have became a medicine cat._ Mossflower thought miserably. _I should've stayed with Seedheart. Then he wouldn't have died._ Mossflower pushed away the painful thought. _That was in the past. Plus, I've got two youngsters to watch over._ Mossflower waded in the shallow swamps of OwlClan. The stinking reek of toad filled the land. There was the sound of splashing in the distance.

"Mossflower?" Nightjay whispered, "I hear a patrol coming."

"No worries, they let us pass. We're just traveling to the Moontree." Mossflower grunted.

"Alright, if you say so." Nightjay narrowed his eyes; Mossflower led them closer to the patrol.

"What in the name of MoonClan do you think you're doing?! Do you want us to get caught?" Nightjay hissed.

"I want them to know that we are not trespassing in their land. We are merely traveling to the Moontree. We are not going to cause an arguement just because the OwlClan cats picked up our scent." Mossflower explained; Nightjay nodded.

Mossflower halted in front of a couple of shaking reeds. Nightjay bristled his fur with anticipation. A small patrol of OwlClan cats slid out of the maroon-colored plants.

"What are you doing on our territory?" a small tabby tom; no older than an apprentice, snarled fiercely.

Mossflower narrowed her eyes, "Shadowfeather, what kind of manners does your little apprentice have here? Don't OwlClan cats teach their young respect? Don't they know to let the older cats deal with simple problems?"

"My apologies, Mossflower." Shadowfeather; a black she-cat; dipped her head, "Scratchpaw, get behind us."

Scratchpaw reluctantly darted behind his patrol leader.

"Traveling to the Moontree, are you?" Shadowfeather rumbled, "I see. Congratulations on your new leader."

"You know us too well." Mossflower purred; she nodded to Nightjay, "We best be on our way."

Mossflower and Nightjay turned tail and trotted the other direction. The journey was long and tiring. Nightjay had to stop once and a while to let Mossflower catch her breath. Mossflower had to snap Nightjay out of his sleep whenever they woke up. Nightjay panted as they climbed a steep hill.

"Why *pant* don't we *pant* stop and take *pant* a little *pant* break?" Nightjay wheezed.

"Oh, stop complaining." Mossflower snapped, "We're nearly there! I'm older than you, and my joints hurt a lot more!" Nightjay rolled his eyes.

Mossflower halted in front of a damp cave. Water droplets sounded from in the cave. A faint light shone in it. Nightjay was dazzled by the light.

"Let's go." Mossflower mewed briskly.

The two traveled into the dark, cool cave. Stepping in a little puddle, Nightjay cracked his pad on a stalagmite. Hissing with frustration, Nightjay limped after Mossflower, whose tail had just vanished into another tunnel.

"We're here." Mossflower mewed.

A glowing tree with crystal leaves sparkled before Mossflower and Nightjay. The branches were unbreakable and the trunk was glowing brighter than the rest of the tree. The leaves were imprints of a cat's soul. Whenever one cat dies in the Clans, a new leaf is born. Nightjay leaped forward eagerly. Mossflower stopped him.

"We must walk together." she murmured; Nightjay obeyed, he padded slowly up to the sparkling tree with Mossflower.

"Touch the tree." Mossflower instructed, "It will take us both to MoonClan."

Nightjay touched his nose to the tree. A blinding light shone from the trunk of the tree and Nightjay and Mossflower were sucked into the realm of MoonClan.

Nightjay stood in a calming field beside Mossflower. Nine MoonClan cats were faintly outlined in the distance. Their shape became clearer and clearer, until they were recognizable. A red-brown tom with green eyes stepped up next to Nightjay first.

"Greetings, Nightjay. Do you know who I am?" the red-brown tom questioned.

"Er- no." Nightjay mewed sheepishly.

"Then I will introduce myself. I am Pinefall, from MeadowClan. I was the deputy and died protecting my leader in combat." Pinefall explained, "For your first life, I give you sacrifice. Always sacrifice yourself for your Clanmates and loved ones."

Pinefall touched Nightjay's nose. Nightjay felt his legs buckle, he tried to hide the pain. Pinefall vanished. Another shimmery cat appeared. This time, it was a she-cat. An apprentice, to be in fact. Her pelt was as golden and radiant as the sun. Nightjay gasped; it was the leader's daughter when he was a kit.

"S… Sunpaw?" Nightjay whispered.

"That's right." Sunpaw dipped her head, "It's me."

"I'm so glad to see you again!" Nightjay gasped, "I remember you were taken away by twolegs! I'm sorry your time has come to walk with MoonClan."

"Me too." Sunpaw murmured, "But we must get on with the ceremony." Sunpaw stepped closer to Nightjay, "For your second life, I give you trust. Always trust what you think you can trust. I trusted my heart that I could live with the Twolegs, and becoming a kittypet, well, I'll never regret it." Sunpaw touched Nightjay's nose.

Nightjay howled with pain and gasped for breath. Sunpaw blinked, "I think this next life is what you're looking for." Sunpaw vanished.

A handsome, speckled grey tom appeared. His muscles rippled underneath his pelt.

"Stand up Nightjay." The tom growled; Nightjay stood straight, "Do you know who I am?"

"Yes, father." Nightjay nodded, "You are Specklestrike."

"Very good my son." Specklestrike purred, "You have grown very strong and handsome." Nightjay licked his chest. "As your third life, I give you strength. Take your strength and carry it into battle. With strength in numbers and power on your side, you will always win the war."

Specklestrike touched Nightjay's nose. Nightjay felt as if he were on fire. Nightjay screamed and crouched in pain.

"Stay strong my son." Specklestrike's words echoed throughout the empty fields as he vanished; another tom appeared, he was as black as night.

"Greetings, Nightjay." The tom rumbled.

"Greetings… Fuzzyfur…" Nightjay whispered; he could not bear the pain.

"I see you and Blossomheart make a nice pair." Fuzzyfur mewed, "I'm glad she's found some cat else."

Nightjay stared at Fuzzyfur, his old rival.

"For this life, I give you love." Fuzzyfur mewed, "Never stop loving the cats you treasure the most." Fuzzyfur touched Nightjay's nose. Nightjay felt as if he was swept off his paws, the warmth inside his heart felt like it was going to explode. Fuzzyfur disappeared. A tortoiseshell she-cat with elderly markings appeared.

"Greetings, Nightjay." The tortoiseshell dipped her head, "I am Turtleshine. I come from before your father's father was born, a long time ago. As you know I have come to give you your fifth life. Wisdom. Always think before you act, sometimes, it can lead to better things than battle."

Turtleshine touched Nightjay's nose. Nightjay felt as if he was an elder himself. Wise thoughts poured into his mind. Turtleshine nodded and vanished. Another cat appeared. This time, it was a tiny kit.

"Hello Nightjay!" the kit squeaked.

"Featherkit!" Nightjay gasped, "How are you doing?"

"I'm fine, how's it going in the Clans?" Featherkit asked.

"Just as well, my sister." Nightjay purred, "What life are you going to give me? Tinyness?"

"Ha ha, very funny." Featherkit mewed, "As your sixth life, I give you truth. I was wrong to lie about the OwlClan warriors. And my punishment was death. To avoid being punished, always tell the truth." The speckled kit reached up and touched Nightjay's nose. Nightjay gasped and crouched down, shivering in pain. The seventh cat appeared. It was a handsome tom, with a golden mane, and a star printed on his forehead. It was Lionstar.

"Lionstar!" Nightjay growled, "How dare you try to kill my-"

"I'm sorry for the accident, Nightjay." Lionstar mewed solemnly, "And this life will help you avoid what happened to me. For your seventh life, I give you understanding. Even if the path is obvious, you must look for all the details and understand that there is a different way around problems." Lionstar touched Nightjay's nose. Nightjay tried to withstand the pain that tore at his body. Lionstar disappeared. Another tom appeared, this time, it was a scrawny apprentice with a twisted face.

"What happened to you?" Nightjay whispered; the apprentice looked up meekly.

"I… I am Tinypaw." Tinypaw whispered. "I… I come from MeadowClan. The Clan rejected me, because my mother said I looked ugly. My face was all weird when I fractured myself falling off a steep hill. For your eighth life, I give you judgement. Never judge a cat the way they look or act. As you see, Lionstar judged Crazystorm, and ended up getting killed because of his very own self." Tinypaw touched Nightjay's nose, Nightjay's legs buckled once more. Tinypaw turned tail and fled into the stars. The final cat appeared. This time, it was a black she-cat with glowing green eyes.

"Greeting Nightjay." The she-cat dipped her head; Nightjay sighed, "Do you know who I am?"

"No." Nightjay mewed.

"Very well, I am Hollyleaf. A cat from a long time ago. Before Meadowfoot and the others escaped the Death Cough. Before the Death Cough was even around, during Firestar's time." Hollyleaf explained; Nightjay gaped. "For your last life, I give you forgiving. I was foolish when I was younger, and ended up killing my own Clanmate, I also threatened to kill another because I didn't completely forgive them. Carry this in your heart, this life can be very important in the future. Teach your kits about the forgiveness that lies in your soul."

Hollyleaf touched Nightjay's nose. Nightjay's insides flipped and he felt a burn on his forehead. A bright star appeared on his forehead and the cats he just visited appeared as thin outlines.

"Nightstar! Nightstar!" The cats chanted; Nightstar felt sick, he yowled in pain and collapsed to the ground, MoonClan fading around him.


	23. Chapter 22: Promises

Exhausted from a hard day of battle training with a stupid hare-brain called Flamepaw, Icepaw wanted to curl up in her nest and sleep right away. _Great MoonClan!_ She thought excitedly. _I totally forgot, Nightjay's coming back! Well, he'll be Night_ star _by then!_ She decided that she would take a little nap before moon-high. Icepaw did this so that when the time came she would be wide awake.

Duskpaw shook Icepaw awake.

"Hey, Icepaw!" Duskpaw whispered, "It's Nightj- I mean, Nightstar! He's back!"

Icepaw scrambled to her feet.

"Great MoonClan!"

The two sisters dashed out the apprentices den and skidded to a halt beneath the Meeting Rock. There stood a muscular, handsome tom with a glowing star on his forehead. All the cats of MeadowClan chanted out their leader's name in congratulations. Blossomheart looked as if any moment she would jump onto the rock and nuzzle Nightstar. Icepaw felt proud. Duskpaw smiled as she saw Dawnstrider stare at their new leader in disgust.

"I bet he's going to announce the new deputy!" Icepaw whispered in excitement.

"Keep your pelt on!" Duskpaw snapped, "Of course he's going to announce the new deputy!" Icepaw snorted.

"Let all the cats gather underneath the Meeting Rock for a Clan meeting!" Nightstar yowled; the half moon glowed above him, "Since the warrior code recites that all leaders must appoint a new deputy before moonhigh, I will follow the code and appoint one know."

The cats of MeadowClan murmured amongst each other.

"I have already picked my choice of MeadowClan's new deputy." Nightstar nodded, "That deputy shall be Greenleap."

Gasps of shock and disapproval rang throughout the Clan. Greenleap gasped as well.

"I...I am honored to serve the Clan as deputy, Nightstar." Greenleap dipped his head and scrambled onto the Meeting Rock.

"I thought he was going to choose either Branchwing or Grassheart," Icepaw muttered to her sister, "At least they'd be able to serve the clan for many moons."

Duskpaw nodded her head in agreement. It had been a little surprising that Greenleap had been chosen for the role of deputy because he was very old. Duskpaw had predicted that he would only last for maybe a moon or two before joining the elders.

"I'm guessing he picked Greenleap because of his wisdom." Breezefur added, joining her apprentice, "We don't want to be led into battle with a tail flick because of my mother, and we don't need to spread gossip because of my father."

"I see," Duskpaw nodded, "He must've gotten a life for wisdom."

"Since when did you become so smart?" Icepaw sniffed; Duskpaw scowled.

After the ceremony, Greenleap proudly took compliments from the Clan. Flamepaw glared at Greenleap before beckoning Rockclaw to come forward. Icepaw narrowed her eyes. She decided to follow the tyrant. Flamepaw stood up and moved to a spot that was farthest from the huddle of cats. Icepaw hid behind a rock.

"Rockclaw, you _need_ to become deputy!" Flamepaw hissed softly, "That old fool will never make our Clan strong! Kill him in secret or something like that! That way, we can finally get revenge on Icepaw and Mistpaw!"

"I haven't even apprenticed a kit yet, hare-brain!" Rockclaw snarled, "How am _I_ supposed to become deputy?! Plus, why would I waste my time with that old cat? Or you? You just want to be honored because your brother is the deputy! Stop giving yourself so much credit for everything!" And with that, Rockclaw stalked away.

Flamepaw slumped his shoulders. Icepaw stared at Flamepaw and felt her mouth curling into a smile. She couldn't find any reason to feel any sympathy for him. She decided to ignore about what happened and marched away.

Icepaw trotted into the apprentices den and curled up next to Mistpaw in her nest. Mistpaw didn't look at Icepaw. _When will she completely forgive me?_ Icepaw sighed and closed her eyes. The last thing she saw was Mistpaw looking over her shoulder, her gaze full of forgiveness.

Icepaw awoke and found herself in the odd MoonClan again. _Oh rabbit fur, not this place again._ Icepaw thought wearily. She rose to her paws and shook out her pelt. A figure came bounding towards her. It was Noear.

"Noear! I'm so glad to see you again!" Icepaw purred.

"Me too!" Noear smiled crookedly, "Come, we have a little, er, promising to do."

"Promising? What for?" Icepaw cocked her head.

"You'll see," Noear smirked; Icepaw nodded.

Noear led Icepaw deeper into the sea of bloodstained grass. Icepaw crept closer to Noear as there were red eyes glowing in the thick grass.

"I smell fear." Noear hissed, "Is that coming from you Icepaw?"

"Er, I guess…" Icepaw shrugged; Noear narrowed her eyes, then laughed.

"Don't be afraid Icepaw, those are just some of my... MoonClan clanmates." Noear sniffed, "They're just little pests- I mean friends." Icepaw stared at Noear in confusion.

Noear halted at a dry patch of grass that was completely blood red. Icepaw stared down at her feet. _Why is this place so… miserable?_ Icepaw thought.

"Now, the cat I want you to make a promise with will be on his way." Noear explained, "You aren't going to fight, you just need to do something with him. You need to make a pat, then you train on how to do it." Icepaw nodded.

A faint outline of a massive tom appeared. Then it grew to be real.

"Ah, Tigerstar, you made it." Noear smiled, "You're late, as usual."

"I know," Tigerstar growled, "And this little kitten must be Icepaw?"

"I'm _not_ a little kitten!" Icepaw protested; Tigerstar's eyes glowed.

"You've got the potential, little one." Tigerstar purred.

"Er, thanks?" Icepaw shrugged, "Look, can we cut to the chase and tell me why I'm here?" Icepaw's pelt pricked with annoyance. She felt like she'd seen this cat before…

"Right." Tigerstar dipped his head, "I need you to do me a favor. As you remember the promise, you are to do as you're told. Either stand with MoonClan, or stand with the traitors. Anyway, I need you to hunt some prey along the OwlClan borders. This is good support for your Clan. The more fresh-kill, the better. You must go alone, though the camp is well guarded, MoonClan can help you with that. And don't tell anyone about anything, okay? Oh! I forgot one more thing, you must not bring the prey back to your camp."

"But why?" Icepaw asked; this was a strange promise.

"Well, you don't want Mistpaw to get jealous of you again right?" Tigerstar shrugged, "Just have some fun, you know? Plus, a patrol will come and get it sooner or later."

"Alright…" Icepaw narrowed her eyes.

"So, in a nutshell, all you have to do is hunt and don't take the prey back? Simple enough?" Noear butted in.

"Yes." Icepaw dipped her head.

"It's about time you wake up." Noear nodded, "You will see us soon."

Noear and Tigerstar vanished. Icepaw shrugged and blinding light woke her in surprise. Icepaw lifted her head with a bolt. The morning sun was just starting to filter in the apprentices' den. _I need to hunt, after all, I made a promise._ Icepaw crept out of her nest.

Icepaw silently padded to the entrance of the camp. There was no cat there. She pricked her ears in interest. _What had Noear and Tigerstar done with the guards?_ Icepaw snuck forward, she peeked out of the bushes to find Rockclaw and Honeypelt fast asleep. Icepaw gave a _mrrw_ of laughter. _What suckers!_ Icepaw slunk past the two sleeping guards.

The smell of fresh, morning air soothed Icepaw's mind. A gust of wind carried in from the North. Icepaw angled her ears, and trotted along the path to OwlClan territory. The stinking reek of reptiles lingered in the air. Icepaw scrunched her nose and kept traveling into deeper parts of MeadowClan territory. A lizard darted from beneath Icepaw's paws. Icepaw swiveled her ears to catch any sound of scuffling hares.

Suddenly, a flash of tan brown darted in front of her. Icepaw gave chase. She sprinted along the skirts of MeadowClan territory, chasing after the hare. In terror, the hare jerked around and turned the other direction. Using sharp hunting skills, Icepaw stopped abruptly and sharply turned the other direction as well. She sprang for the fleeing rabbit. Her paws clutched the soft pelt of the rabbit and Icepaw dragged it to the ground. With a quick snap, the hare was dead. Icepaw sighed and dropped it to the ground. She pushed it next to the border. _I hope I just have to catch one piece of fresh-kill._ Icepaw hoped, _I need to get back to camp._ A humid breeze traveled next to Icepaw, she nearly choked of the scent. _**You have done enough, Icepaw.**_ Icepaw recognized Tigerstar's voice. _**MoonClan can take it from here.**_ Icepaw smiled.

"Thanks, Tigerstar." Icepaw whispered; she yawned and whipped around, heading back to camp.

As soon as Icepaw disappeared from sight, Tigerstar broke into the real world. His scarred pelt was transparent in the morning sun. _**Tigerstar!**_ A voice hissed. _**What did we tell you?! Don't go into the real world! We don't have enough chaos to restore our power for good!**_

"Calm down Mapleshade." Tigerstar mused, "I'm going to create chaos using Icepaw. We are going to fire up the Clans over stupid borders again."

There was no answer from Mapleshade. Tigerstar assumed that she left. Shrugging, Tigerstar picked up the rabbit and carried it over to the OwlClan border. He played with it until it stank of OwlClan, well, enough to think that an OwlClan cat caught the rabbit and dragged it over the border. Tigerstar smirked. Once he'd created enough chaos, he'd restore their power and finally, they'd get revenge on the Clans. Tigerstar dissolved from sight.

Icepaw padded into camp and saw that Honeypelt and Rockclaw were still snoring. Icepaw frowned, shouldn't they have woken yet? She pulled at Honeypelt's fur. Honeypelt jolted awake with a surprise.

"Wh… wha?" Honeypelt murmured; Rockclaw started to rise as well, "Icepaw? What are you doing here?"

"You guys fell asleep, so I decided to wake you up." Icepaw mewed; this wasn't the truth.

"Great MoonClan! I forgot!" Honeypelt gasped, "Oh MoonClan! Oh MoonClan! Thank you so much for waking us up Icepaw, please don't tell Nightstar or Greenleap!"

"Sure," Icepaw nodded, "As long as you don't fall asleep again."

"Thanks!" Honeypelt called after Icepaw as she bounded away.


	24. Chapter 23: Tension rising

Breezefur slid into view. Icepaw skidded to a halt as she came nose to nose with her mentor.

"Icepaw!" Breezefur purred, "There you are! Go fetch Flamepaw and Branchwing for me will you? He's going to have his next assessment."

"Oh MoonClan!" Icepaw groaned, "Has it been a half moon already?!"

"Apparently." Breezefur cocked her head, "We're going to be the judges on Flamepaw. You'll have to work with him again."

Icepaw hissed with frustration. Breezefur glared at her, Icepaw reluctantly stalked away to the apprentices' den. Flamepaw was snoring peacefully in his nest. Icepaw growled with disgust.

"Hey Flamepaw!" Icepaw yowled in Flamepaw's ear, "Get up! It's time for your assessment!"

Flamepaw woke up, startled.

"Icepaw!" Flamepaw hissed, "You piece of hare dung! You don't have to yell!"

"You were snoring pretty loudly." Icepaw retorted.

"Whatever, am I doing my next assessment with _you_ again?" Flamepaw mused.

"Yeah, unfortunately…" Icepaw snorted.

Icepaw stalked out of the apprentices' den with Flamepaw at her heels. Branchwing was already in sight. Berrysplash was with him, so was Breezefur.

"What took you two so long?" Breezefur asked.

"Icepaw yowled in my ear!" Flamepaw whined.

"You're the one who snores so loud that it scares all the prey away!" Icepaw snapped.

"Stop arguing!" Branchwing growled, "Follow me."

Icepaw glared at Flamepaw. Flamepaw glared at Icepaw. Breezefur shrugged and followed her father. Berrysplash stared at the two apprentices. Branchwing muttered something under his breath.

Branchwing stopped at the Squirrel Grounds.

"Flamepaw." Branchwing instructed, "You will work with Icepaw to catch a squirrel. This time, don't disobey the rules. Berrysplash will be watching,"

Flamepaw nodded, Icepaw nodded as well. Berrysplash beckoned the two rivals to come forward.

Flamepaw swished his tail low as he went down into a hunter's' crouch. Icepaw dropped into a crouch and looked at Flamepaw.

"I'll lure the squirrel into your paws," Icepaw mewed.

"Right." Flamepaw rolled his eyes, "I'll be behind those trees."

Flamepaw bounded away and Icepaw narrowed her eyes. She picked a target and nodded, hoping Flamepaw would see her signal. Icepaw looked up and saw Flamepaw nodding too. _Well, at least he listens._ Icepaw gave chase. The plump squirrel she had targeted that was nibbling on tufts of dry grass. The snow crunched underneath Icepaw's paws. The squirrel shrieked and ran to the tree Flamepaw was hiding behind. Icepaw yowled and Flamepaw leaped out from behind the dead tree. Snow was flying everywhere as Flamepaw messily killed the squirrel. He beamed with pride as he held up the fresh-kill; Icepaw grimaced.

"Excellent!" Berrysplash purred, "Wonderful tactic! You two make an excellent pair!"

Icepaw stared in shock and Flamepaw blushed a little, trying to look disgusted.

"Let's go," Berrysplash beckoned; Icepaw and Flamepaw followed the warrior back to the Meeting Grounds.

"Did they work together?" Branchwing inquired as Berrysplash, Icepaw, and Flamepaw got back.

"Yes they did!" Berrysplash reported, "They make quite the team!"

"Very well then. "Branchwing nodded in approval, "I can hold on to that squirrel Flamepaw." Flamepaw passed the squirrel to his mentor, "Your next task, Flamepaw, is try and beat Icepaw in battle. Remember, claws sheathed." Breezefur glanced at Icepaw, "You may begin."

Flamepaw crouched low, as if he were ready to pounce. Icepaw circled her opponent. _Maybe training with Flamepaw won't be bad after all._ Icepaw thought hopefully. Flamepaw pounced and Icepaw dodged his move. Growling with frustration, Flamepaw mimicked Icepaw's movements. He feinted his next attack, which took Icepaw by surprise. Flamepaw smirked and leaped forward and knocked Icepaw to the ground. Icepaw shook her head as she fell head first into the frigid snow. Icepaw looked up and saw Flamepaw rearing on his hind legs. Using her own hind legs, Icepaw kicked Flamepaw in the stomach and sent him flying away. With this time, Icepaw bounced to her feet. Flamepaw crashed into the thin snow. Flamepaw glared at Icepaw.

"Hey!" Flamepaw hissed, "That's cheating!"

 _I take what I just thought, back._ Icepaw sighed, a puff of cold breath drifted in the air. Branchwing said nothing.

Cursing, Flamepaw charged for Icepaw at full speed. Icepaw panicked and was soon sent tumbling away. Snow invaded Icepaw's pelt. Icepaw roared with anger, a few icicles rose from the ground. Flamepaw back away. As the icicles grew bigger, Icepaw leapt up to the tallest one and sprang onto Flamepaw, knocking the wind out of him. The two apprentices tackled each other until they were out of breath. Flamepaw glared at Icepaw.

" _That_ was cheating!" Flamepaw snarled.

"No it wasn't!" Icepaw lifted her chin, "I was only using my pow- I mean those icicles to my advantage!" Breezefur sighed.

"I agree with Flamepaw." Breezefur stepped in, "That was cheating Icepaw."

Icepaw looked as if she was ready to object, but was stopped by Breezefur's glare.

"Does that mean Flamepaw wins?" Icepaw growled.

"Yes, it does." Breezefur replied simply, "What shall the next task be, father?"

"We shall have a border patrol." Branchwing nodded, "Berrysplash, take this squirrel back to camp. The rest of us will see if Flamepaw's nose is still sharp."

Berrysplash took the squirrel from Branchwing and headed back to camp. Branchwing beckoned Breezefur, Icepaw, and Flamepaw to follow.

Branchwing led his patrol deep into the meadow. The air got humid and reeds started to poke out of the ground. Cattails swished in the hot wind and mud was know plastered over every cat's feet.

"Tell me Flamepaw." Branchwing finally said, "Which part of the MeadowClan boundaries are we near?"

Flamepaw twitched his nose,

"We are near OwlClan territory."

"Very good." Branchwing nodded, "What else can you smell?"

"I can smell the horse-place from here, but it's pretty faint. Um… a lizard passed here yesterday… wait! There was a rabbit… but OwlClan scent all over!" Flamepaw gasped.

"What?!" Branchwing growled, suddenly alert, "Where?"

"Near the border," Flamepaw nodded; Icepaw shrank. _Don't tell them, don't tell them…_

"We must investigate," Branchwing ordered.

Branchwing and Breezefur started sniffing around the border. Flamepaw studied the scent as well. Icepaw faked checking the bushes near Flamepaw.

"Flamepaw's right." Breezefur growled, "There is OwlClan scent here. And it's fresh."

"But there's some StormClan scent here too." Icepaw cocked her head as she spoke. _Noear and Tigerstar had to be in MeadowClan, right?_

"We must warn Nightstar." Branchwing said at once, he bolted for the camp.

Breezefur, Icepaw, and Flamepaw charged after him. Flamepaw ran up next to his mentor.

"So… did I pass?" Flamepaw asked hopefully.

"Yes… yes you did…" Branchwing panted, 'But don't worry about that now, we need to share the news! OwlClan crossed the border! That's against the warrior code!"

Flamepaw rolled his eyes and abruptly stopped to dodge a rabbit hole. Icepaw pelted in front of him.

The patrol reached camp, pushing past the guards. Branchwing skidded to a halt in front of Greenleap, who was walked feebly across the camp.

"What's got you youngsters in a hurry?" Greenleap rasped.

"OwlClan!" Branchwing panted, "They *pant* hunted on our *pant* land *pant*, crossed the border…"

"OwlClan crossed the border?!" Greenleap hissed, "They haven't done that for moons! Bet they just want to rile up the Clans once more!"

"And there was StormClan scent as well!" Icepaw added.

"OwlClan and StormClan must be working together." Breezefur nodded, "Odd pairing."

"I'll go tell Nightstar." Greenleap dipped his head; then trotted into the leader's den.

After a few heartbeats, Nightstar walked out the den with Greenleap beside him. His gaze was serious.

"Thank you for your input, Branchwing." Nightstar dipped his head, "We'll figure out what to do with OwlClan and StormClan."

"Since the Gathering is tonight, we should announce that StormClan and OwlClan are in alliance." Breezefur piped up.

"Very well." Nightstar agreed, "You four will come to the Gathering." He nodded at Branchwing, Breezefur, Icepaw, and Flamepaw. "But first, did Flamepaw pass?"

"Yes he did." Branchwing nodded, "He was much more behaved than last time."

"Good." Nightstar purred, "We shall go on with the ceremony."

Nightstar gracefully leaped up onto the Meeting Rock. Icepaw felt as if he were invincible. Her father looked braver than the bravest cats in the Clan, such as Branchwing or Breezefur. A cold gust of wind blew in from the North. Nightstar kept his ground.

"Let all the cats of MeadowClan gather underneath the Meeting Rock for a Clan meeting!" Nightstar announced; his voice steady.

Cats gathered into the clearing. Duskpaw took her place next to Mintfur and Mossflower. She glanced at Dawnstrider, who was next to Cherryleaf. Cherryleaf had grown bigger the past couple moons. Her swollen belly swayed as she walked. Once the cats quieted down, Nightstar continued.

"Flamepaw, please step up!"

Flamepaw proudly puffed up his chest and strode onto the Meeting Rock. Cherryleaf glared at her son.

"Flamepaw." Nightstar spoke, "Do you wish to serve your Clanmates and risk your life to defend them?"

"I do!" Flamepaw yowled at the top of his lungs, hoping Cherryleaf and Finchwing would hear his confidence.

"Then by the powers of MoonClan, I name you Flamecloud!" Nightstar announced.

"Flamecloud! Flamecloud!" The Clan roared.

Some cats though, didn't cheer for Flamecloud. Cherryleaf was among them. Icepaw stared at Flamecloud's mother, but then was surprised to hear Finchwing cheering.

"I also have one more thing to announce!" Nightstar silenced the Clan as Flamecloud hopped down the Meeting Rock, "Cherryleaf will now be moving into the nursery. She is expecting kits."

Duskpaw sniffed.

"You are dismissed!" Nightstar said.

Icepaw stared at Cherryleaf and hissed in dismay. _This can't possibly be happening! All I can do is pray to MoonClan that her next litter is not as rabbit-brained as her first._

Breezefur beckoned for Icepaw to come.

"Do you know why the other clans are doing this?" Breezefur asked sternly.

Icepaw hesitated before answering, "I don't know why the others are doing this but I'm sure that they must have just crossed the border by accident."

Icepaw stared plainly at her mentor before asking if she could go on a hunting patrol.

Breezefur nodded and turned her head towards the medicine den. There was something suspicious and Icepaw wanted to figure it out. She waited for a few heartbeats before walking towards the apprentices den.

Mintfur was minding her own business when Duskpaw stalked into the den clearly coming back from the nursery.

"What is wrong Duskpaw?" Icepaw mewed gently.

"Cherryleaf is what is wrong," Duskpaw started to answer, "I tried giving her some borage to help her milk when she started kitting but she wouldn't cooperate and she scratched me very badly on the back of my left ear!" She blurted. "I swear to MoonClan that if I ever have to help that old she-cat in the future, I will just want to kill her!" Duskpaw ranted.

Just then the bushes trembled, Mintfur walked in. Mintfur scolded and told her apprentice to keep sorting herbs. Icepaw shrugged and stalked away. It was almost time for the Gathering.

A chilly wind rushed past Icepaw and ruffled her fur. Icepaw padded close beside Breezefur. Nightstar bounded onto his rock, as so did the other leaders. Lichenstar narrowed his eyes at the new leader.

"Ah," Lichenstar smiled crookedly, "Nightstar I might presume. Welcome."

"I thank you for your warmth." Nightstar dipped his head; his voice was cold.

"Let us continue with the Gathering." Lichenstar mewed, "May I go first?"

"Why not." Nightstar growled, "But hurry, I've got something important to discuss."

"Then you shall go first." Lichenstar dipped his head, "We have nothing new to report."

"Very well then, I have only one thing to say." Nightstar hissed; he jumped to his paws and glared at Lichenstar, "Prey stealers! OwlClan and StormClan are prey stealers!"

"What?!" Lichenstar rose to his paws as well, "How dare you insult us like that! We'd never steal prey from MeadowClan! We don't even bother catching rabbits!"

Yowls of protest and anger rose from both OwlClan and StormClan.

"That's a lie!" Shadestar agreed, "There might be prey stealers in MeadowClan! But there aren't any in OwlClan!"

"It is not!" Breezefur yowled, "One of our patrols caught StormClan, OwlClan, and rabbit scent on our border! They were fresh! That means StormClan is working with OwlClan!"

"StormClan is not working with OwlClan!" Lichenstar spat; he jumped down from his rock and leapt onto Nightstar's. The Clans gasped.

"I don't know who you think you are." Lichenstar snarled, "But spreading rumors and lies about other Clans won't help save you through leaf-bare."

"Stop!" Streamstar yowled; silencing every cat, "We must not fight at the Gathering! I call it to an end!"

"NO!" Lichenstar whipped around, "I have one last thing to announce!" He bounded onto his rock, "If MeadowClan thinks OwlClan and StormClan are working together, then we might as well." He nodded to Shadestar.

Shadestar nodded back and glared at Nightstar, "Let the Gathering end."

All four leaders jumped down from their rocks and guided their Clans back to camp. Icepaw felt terrible. Had Tigerstar done this one purpose? Mintfur padded up to Icepaw and nudged her. Icepaw whipped around in surprise.

"Great MoonClan!" Icepaw gasped, "You scared me!"

"Sorry, sorry." Mintfur dipped her head, "I just wanted to talk… about that… MoonClan you keep visiting."


	25. Chapter 24: The truth

"So…what about this MoonClan?" Icepaw shifted; staring down at her paws.

"Well, the place you keep visiting, is not called MoonClan." Mintfur mewed, "It's the F.O.I"

"What does F.O.I stand for?" Icepaw cocked her head.

"It stands for the Fields of Insanity. It's where DumbClan traitors go when they die. It was known as the Dark Forest before the Death Cough." Mintfur explained, "In that place, the cats there are evil. They are trying to use you to create chaos in the Clans and restore their power of breaking into the real world. Their leader is Tigerstar. Though it was thought Firestar killed him in the Great Battle long ago, Tigerstar somehow managed to survive and return to the Dark Forest, or the Fields of Insanity."

"R...really?" Icepaw gasped, "How do you know?"

"MoonClan came to me in a dream, telling me to warn you!" Mintfur nodded, "They told me, you should be aware of who you trust. Especially Leafkit."

"Why can't I trust Leafkit?" Icepaw growled, " _He_ won't become evil! He's a good friend!" Without another reply, Icepaw stomped away.

Mintfur sighed. _MoonClan, please just tell her yourselves._

Icepaw caught up to Breezefur.

"Those Clans seemed really angry." Icepaw mewed, not looking at her mentor.

"Of course, they were insulted." Breezefur replied.

"I'm just glad Nightstar didn't announce that Flamecloud is now warrior. Serves him right for being a hare-brain!" Icepaw grinned, glancing at Flamecloud who was sulking next to Finchwing.

"I'm just worried that OwlClan and StormClan are working together." Breezefur sighed, "When they are in alliance, they create the biggest Clan together. It'll be hard beating them in battle."

"A bunch of OwlClan and StormClan cowards are no big deal." Icepaw mewed, swiping her claws in the air, "We'll drive them off in a couple of seconds! We can have LakeClan as an alliance too!"

"Yes, but LakeClan will also see us as liars after the Gathering." Breezefur shook her head, "Besides, Lichenstar is not a coward. He's not afraid to let his Clanmates die just for the victory in battle. But he still cares for them. He's not evil or anything."

Icepaw shrugged. She felt like someone was watching her, or at least, walking behind her. She whipped around, nothing. She caught a whiff of StormClan scent near her. Maybe even on her. Mistpaw trotted over, then scrunched up her nose.

"Yuck!" Mistpaw growled, "Icepaw, you've got StormClan scent all over you! Have you been talking to StormClan this Gathering?"

"Don't be ridiculous!" Icepaw shook her head, "Why would I talk to a bunch a prey stealers! I just noticed I had StormClan scent lingering on me, but I don't know how."

"Well, you'll smell just like a MeadowClan cat when you get back in the nest and get some rest!" Mistpaw yawned, "I just hope I'm not on dawn patrol…"

 _And I need to go and visit Tigerstar._ Icepaw thought. _There's a few questions I want to ask him._

Icepaw found herself curled up into her nest a few heartbeats later. Her eyes were sore and she was very tired. She closed her eyes and slept. Hoping that she would see Tigerstar, or some cat from that mysterious place.

Green, damp mist surrounded her in her dream. She had reached the place where she'd been visiting Tigerstar. A shadow loomed over her. Icepaw looked up to find Tigerstar looking down at her.

"Hi Tigerstar!" Icepaw yelped with surprise "Didn't see you there!"

"Greetings Icepaw." Tigerstar's lips curled into a smile, "I know why you've come. To ask me some questions about this place. And whether the cats here are evil or not. And don't ask why I know how, let's just say I know because I'm smart."

"Yeah, but you forgot one thing." Icepaw added, "I wanted to ask you, are you from StormClan, OwlClan, or LakeClan?"

"Oh! That…" Tigerstar looked away, "You know… when cats pass away, they form one Clan."

"Yeah I know! But I just want to know which Clan you're from!" Icepaw snapped.

"Well then." Tigerstar mewed cooly, "If you really want to know, I'm from ThunderClan."

"Don't be silly! ThunderClan is not a real Clan!" Icepaw laughed.

"It was!" Tigerstar slammed his paw on the muddy ground. "Until Swallowstar destroyed it!"

"How did he destroy it?" Icepaw cocked her head.

Tigerstar explained, "Swallowstar thought it would be a great idea to go on some mouse-brained quest to 'save the clans'! But instead, he found rogues who had the deadly Death Cough! He brought it back to the Clans!"

"Save the Clans? What do you mean by that?" Icepaw asked.

"This conversation is not important." Tigerstar growled, "In the meantime there is another cat I'd like you to meet."

On cue, Mapleshade slid out from one of the caves they were nearby. Icepaw gave a little squeak of shock and suddenly felt small and weak. Her pelt was almost transparent, and patches of fur were torn off from her pelt. One of her ears were missing, like Noear, but it was as if only her eyes were visible.

"This is Mapleshade, the oldest Dar- I mean MoonClan warrior around. She died long before the Death Cough." Tigerstar introduced.

"Greetings Icepaw." Mapleshade rasped. Her voice was so distant, your could barely hear it, "I heard a lot of wonderful things about you. You are destined to restore the Dar- I mean MoonClan's power into helping the Clans once again."

"Really?!" Icepaw leaped to her paws, "I knew I was important! But not _that_ important!"

"Yes, you are the most important cat in all the Clans. I can see your future." Mapleshade smirked, "Once you help us restore our power, we will reward you by making you leader of _all_ the Clans! That way, we- I mean you, will be unstoppable!"

Icepaw gaped. Unstoppable. She could be unstoppable. No cat could get in her way and bully her or tell her what to do. _She_ could make all the rules to every cat in the moors, swamps, lake, and forest. _She_ could send any cat away to DumbClan if wanted.

"How do I achieve this award?" Icepaw murmured.

"Simple, just cause chaos in the Clan. Have some fun! Some drama!" Tigerstar nodded, "You like fun, don't you?"

"Um.. yeah…" Icepaw cocked her head, "But why chaos?"

"Not chaos, drama." Mapleshade corrected, "It's fun seeing your clanmates argue once a awhile. Otherwise, the Clan would be _boring_."

A faint voice sounded in the distant. Mapleshade gasped and whipped around.

"Icepaw." Mapleshade growled, her voice frantic, "You must leave immediately!"

"Why?" Icepaw shrinked into her pelt.

"You have your assignment." Tigerstar's voice faded, "Cause chaos in the Clans…"

A blast of light blinded Icepaw and she was sucked into the real MoonClan. The stars shimmered across the colorless sky and a starry cat stood above Icepaw. Icepaw gazed up, she stared right through the starry cat.

"Who are you?" Icepaw whispered, the she-cat looked a lot like Icepaw, except much older.

"I am Icepaw. I am you in the future." Older Icepaw dipped her head, "Walk with me."

Older Icepaw nudged Icepaw onto her paws. Older Icepaw beckoned Icepaw to follow. Together, the two Icepaws strolled down a peaceful river. A minnow leaped out of the water as Icepaw walked by. It was soon scared by the fallen leaves that scattered across the water. Older Icepaw took no notice of the river, so Icepaw decided not to as well.

"Why have you brought me here? What is this place?" Icepaw questioned.

"This is MoonClan." Older Icepaw introduced.

"What? But I thought you had bland, grey skies and endless fields of bloodstained grass! How could there be two MoonClans?" Icepaw cocked her head.

"Because the place you just visited was not MoonClan." Older Icepaw growled, "It was the Dark Forest. Or the Fields of Insanity. MoonClan came to Mintfur in a dream, telling her to warn you. Or me. Well, you get the point. And, having a shallow mind, you didn't think about it clearly."

"Hey!" Icepaw lashed her tail indignantly, "We're the same cat, you know!"

"I know." Older Icepaw's whiskers twitched. "I need to show you something. Come."

Older Icepaw led Icepaw to a silvery pool that reflected nothing. All you could see of that pool was blinding light. Older Icepaw bent over the pool.

"Take a look inside." Older Icepaw instructed, "Then you will see what the Fields of Insanity really is."

Icepaw dipped her head into the pool. A red light caught her attention.

"Hello?" Icepaw tried to yowl, but no sound came out.

Icepaw stared around at the darkness. The red light became bigger and bigger. It was chasing Icepaw. Frightened, Icepaw ran. She ran across the darkness that had no end. The light had now taken the shape as a cat. Icepaw looked over her shoulder and whipped her head back around. The cat was covered in blood. Icepaw shut her eyes and kept running. _Come on! Go faster Icepaw!_ The blood cat soon caught up to the white cat. The blood cat bowled Icepaw over. Yelping with surprise, Icepaw stumbled backwards. The blood cat turned into the red light and got bigger and bigger. Until it swallowed Icepaw whole. When the light swallowed Icepaw, Icepaw felt as if she was falling and there was nothing underneath her. She was falling under the darkness. _No!_ Icepaw thought opening her eyes. _I will not lose to this battle!_ Twisting her body, Icepaw jumped back onto her four paws. The darkness was replaced by the setting of the Fields of Insanity. Tigerstar was looming over a young cat.

"Do it again! Or else you will be killed!" Tigerstar ordered, "You are here to train to be warriors! Not soft kittypets!" He swiped at the young cat's throat, which was matted with blood.

"I'm sorry… Tigerstar…" the young cat staggered up, "But I'm merely a Clan cat… please… let me go back to ShadowClan…"

"No!" Tigerstar lunged at the weak tom, battering him with unsheathed claws until he lay motionless in the black mud.

The she-cat next to Tigerstar snorted. It was Mapleshade.

"He wasn't a good use of a Clan cat anyway. Too soft I tell you." Mapleshade snarled; she was less faded than when Icepaw met her, "Besides, we have enough recruits already. We barely have any more Dark Forest warriors left to train them!"

"Not enough." Tigerstar shook his head, "It must enough to kill every single soul in the Clans. We must overrun them."

"We will see what Brokenstar thinks about this." Mapleshade swung her head around and stalked away into the black trees.

Icepaw narrowed her eyes. So Mintfur was right, they were evil. But what were they doing with a Clan cat? Icepaw gasped. _They must be recruiting Clan cats from the earlier Clans to help the Dark Forest grow! Once they had enough cats, they could out number the Clans! They must be planning to do that again!_ **A very good guess Icepaw.** Tigerstar's voice rang in her ears. **Now you know that we can kill cats in their sleep.**

"No!" Icepaw shouted, "You don't have enough power to kill me!"

 **We don't dream of killing you. Well, once we are finished…** Tigerstar laughed evilly, then his echoes disappeared.

Icepaw squeezed her eyes shut.

"SOME CAT HELP!" Icepaw screamed, "Wake me up! Wake me up RIGHT NOW!"

Some cat shook Icepaw awake. Icepaw shot her head up and looked around frantically.

"I...Is he here?" Icepaw stammered.

"Who's here?" Mistpaw tilted her head, "You were squirming and yowling in your sleep. Yelling 'wake me up', so I did."

"Thank MoonClan…" Icepaw sighed. _How could they lie to me! I trusted them, thinking I could be a better warrior alongside them, but they lied. I don't want to ever go there again!_ **It is too late to change your mind.** Tigerstar's voice echoed in her head. **You have already sworn your allegiance to us. We do not wish to hurt you but only to make you stronger. That ShadowClan cat was a traitor to his Clan, so we tortured him as his punishment. Making him train all night.**

Icepaw thought about this for a moment. Did Tigerstar only wish to make her stronger? Or did he only wish for her to bring them back to power? She shook her thought away, she'll have to ask Mintfur about her decision.

"Well, are you going to stay up all night or are you going to get some rest?" Mistpaw flicked her tail, "It's not even dawn yet."

"I...I don't want to go back to sleep." Icepaw admitted, "I can't…"

"Who said?" Mistpaw yawned.

"I can't say…" Icepaw sighed; she wished she could.

"Well, suit yourself." Mistpaw lay her head down.

The warm fur on Mistpaw comforted Icepaw. She wanted to sleep, she had to. _Maybe I won't visit the Dark Forest anyway…_ Icepaw thought. _I already visited them today. Maybe I can only visit them once a night. Hopefully._ Icepaw's thoughts drifted and she lay her head down, just as she started to droop her eyelids, some cat yowled.

"OwlClan and StormClan! Attack!"


	26. Chapter 25: Battle

Icepaw's head shot up like a rocket.

"Great MoonClan! We're being attacked!" Icepaw yelped; she hauled herself out of her nest and dashed out the apprentices' den, Mistpaw hot at her heels.

Cats barged into camp and tore open the entrance. The warriors guarded the nursery and elders' den immediately. Icepaw was knocked over by an OwlClan warrior.

"Oof!" Icepaw growled when her body thumped on the thin snow that layered to ground.

"Watch it, kit!" The warrior hissed, then turned and charged into battle.

"I'm not a kit." Icepaw snarled.

"ICEPAW!" Mistpaw shrieked, "HELP!"

Icepaw whipped around and say Mistpaw being badly clawed by a StormClan apprentice. She was older than both the MeadowClan apprentices, Icepaw could tell because she was bigger.

"Get off her you prey stealer!" Icepaw yowled.

She bowled the she-cat over. The StormClan apprentice was sent flying backwards, but seconds later she was back on her paws. Mistpaw scrambled onto her feet, she had tiny cuts on her pelt. Icepaw cocked her head, she thought that Mistpaw would be bleeding to death the way that apprentice clawed her. Mistpaw lunged at the StormClan apprentice and sliced her nose. Howling with pain, the StormClan apprentice fled.

"Good job Mistpaw!" Icepaw grinned, "You showed that StormClan apprentice never to pick on MeadowClan apprentices!"

"Thanks!" Mistpaw puffed out her chest, "Her body may be big, but her claws aren't!"

A scream sounded from the inventors' den. It was Blossomheart. Icepaw's eyes widened.

"Mom!" Icepaw gasped, "C'mon Mistpaw! She may be in trouble!"

Together, the apprentices pelted for the inventors' den.

Blossomheart yowled and batted away a tom that lunged at her. Suddenly, another OwlClan tom knocked the wind out of Blossomheart. Out of nowhere, Greenleap sprinted at the tom and tried to bite him off. But the OwlClan tom easily sent him reeling away with a powerful kick. The OwlClan tom kept swiping at Blossomheart. Blood splattered on the ground as the OwlClan tom reared up and came crashing down on Blossomheart. Greenleap struggled to his paws and lunged at the tom. The OwlClan tom whipped around and sent Greenleap flying. Turning back to weak Blossomheart, the OwlClan tom raised one forepaw, ready to bring it down with a killing blow.

Using all her strength, Icepaw leaped into the air and bit down on the tom's raised paw. Yowling in pain, the tom back away and shook Icepaw off his paw. It was bleeding pretty badly. Icepaw hit the ground with a _thud_ , and scrambled back onto her paws only to see the OwlClan tom in a fury, scratching Blossomheart all over. Icepaw knew if she tried to intervene, she would only get scratched too.

"Mistpaw! Help me!" Icepaw wailed.

"I am! I am!" Mistpaw growled through clenched teeth; she was tearing little chunks of fur from the OwlClan tom.

"Fight together!" Greenleap croaked, barely lifting his head.

Icepaw and Mistpaw joined together. Icepaw pounced on the OwlClan tom's back, and Mistpaw knocked over the OwlClan tom. Icepaw jumped off the tom and the OwlClan warrior was sent rolling back. Icepaw helped her mother to her paws.

"OwlClan and StormClan!" Lichenstar yowled, "Retreat!"

One by one, different colored pelt were swooping for the entrance. To Icepaw's relief, she saw no dead bodies on the ground. Blossomheart staggered and fell; Icepaw grabbed her mother by the scruff.

"Are you okay?" Icepaw questioned through muffled jaws.

"Take me to the medicine den…" Blossomheart murmured.

Icepaw let her mother lean on her shoulder. Together, they limped to the medicine den. Mistpaw glanced at Icepaw and then crouched beside Greenleap. Mossflower hurried over with some marigold and cobwebs.

"Come with me to the medicine den." Mossflower mewed.

"No… use those herbs on some cat else." Greenleap looked away, "I'm not worth it. I can manage."

"Stop playing hero!" Mossflower hissed. "Let me look at those scratches!"

"I...I can't get up…" Greenleap growled, trying to lift his limp body off the grass.

Mossflower rolled Greenleap over. Greenleap yelped with pain.

"Hm." Mossflower inspected Greenleap's, "These cuts are pretty shallow, though I'm not sure about your leg. Mistpaw, help me guide him to the medicine den."

Mistpaw helped Greenleap to his paws. Greenleap leaned against Mistpaw and limped to the medicine den, Mossflower hurrying after them. Mistpaw laid Greenleap in an open nest. Icepaw was crouched over Blossomheart, who was breathing rapidly. Icepaw swung her head around and bared her teeth at Greenleap.

"Why didn't you protect her?" Icepaw demanded; tears streaming down her face, "She could've died! She could've DIED!"

Greenleap winced as if Icepaw's words were sharper than claws. Nightstar looked fondly at his daughter.

"Now, Icepaw. You don't need to get so angry about what happened. All that matters is that Blossomheart is still with us." Nightstar soothed.

"But she's right." Greenleap sighed, flinching when Mossflower plastered a poultice on his pelt, "I can't fight anymore. I … I'm just too… weak."

"That's not true!" Nightstar lashed his tail indignantly. "You did your best to protect my mate! And look what you sacrificed! _You_ could've died as well!"

"But having an aging fool like me die would've been better than having a gifted inventor die…" Greenleap gazed downwards. "I… I can't go on to be deputy any longer…"

"What do you mean?!" Nightstar hissed. "Of course you can be deputy! We need a wise leader to guide the Clan later on!"

"No." Greenleap mewed solemnly, "My claws and teeth are no longer useful to this Clan. Only my spirit is strong now." Greenleap's green gaze pierced into Nightstar's ice blue eyes. "I think it is time for you to choose a new deputy."


	27. Chapter 26: Deputy

"Nonsense! You are perfectly fine and will manage through leaf-bare!" Nightstar argued, flicking a snowflake off his tail. "Do not be discouraged of what others tell you."

"No." Greenleap stared into Nightstar's eyes. "You may have your opinion, but it is I who should decide whether or not I may become an elder. I _want_ to retire."

Nightstar looked away, his tail flicking to and fro with irritation. He could not bear looking into Greenleap's glowing gaze, his eyes were radiant with color.

"Very well. I shall announce this to the Clan." Nightstar scowled.

"Who shall be your new deputy?" Greenleap purred.

"I will decide. Soon… " Nightstar muttered; he stalked out the medicine den with his tail sweeping low to the ground.

Greenleap gave a weak purr and set his head down on the moss. Icepaw looked at Greenleap with guilty eyes.

"You didn't have to resign just because I accused you. I'm sorry I did. The words just… spilled out." Icepaw shifted her paws.

"It was my decision, besides, there are other cats out there that are worthy for leader as well. Not just me. Sometimes, even a leader can make a mistake." Greenleap rasped.

Icepaw lowered her head. Mistpaw brushed her tail across her friend's pelt. More cats crowded into the medicine den. Duskpaw squeezed over to Icepaw and Mistpaw.

"Mossflower wants you to leave." Duskpaw nodded. "We need plenty of space for the wounded."

Mistpaw nodded curtly and led Icepaw out of the medicine den. Crazystorm was sitting outside, waiting patiently.

"Greetings, Crazystorm." Mistpaw mewed; Icepaw said nothing.

"Mistpaw." Crazystorm dipped his head. "Come and walk with me. Both of you. We have important things to discuss."

The three MeadowClan cats chose a secluded area in the camp. The trees were dangling with icicles and the snow was as thin as ice. Mistpaw shook the dew off her pelt. Crazystorm sat near the tree.

"I wanted to talk about the prophecy." Crazystorm mewed, as the apprentices were finally settled.

"Wait, what prophecy?" Mistpaw cocked her head.

"There is a prophecy." Crazystorm started. "About three spirits. Ice, Mist, and Dusk. They were each given a special ability. Ice, being able to control snow and ice. Mist, being able to stun her opponents in battle. And Dusk, being able to produce growth. But there were downfalls to their powers. In greenleaf, Ice's powers were weak, Mist's power to stun her opponents was very energy consuming, and Dusk could only grow herbs at night. Dusk is only able to produce thorny vines in the daylight. Not very useful to cats."

"That means we're spirits?!" Mistpaw gasped. "And we have powers?!"

"Well. In a nutshell, yes." Crazystorm flexed his claws in the snow, "But the process was a lot more complicated. You see, the only reasons you have powers is that the three spirits failed to defeat their enemy. Fire, Rock, and Dawn. Fire, Rock, and Dawn had been spirits longer than any cat could imagine. They had more experience with their powers. And they needed to be defeated."

"So they got transferred into us for a second chance!" Mistpaw gaped; Icepaw was still soundless.

"Precisely!" Crazystorm nodded.

"Are we controlled by these spirits? We're not really like _real_ cats? We're just spirits?" Mistpaw twitched her whiskers.

"No. You each have a spirit that lies within you. But deep down, you are unique and quite different from the spirits that live inside you." Crazystorm explained.

"That's good to know. But that means… Flamecloud, Rockclaw, and Dawnstrider are… evil?" Mistpaw frowned.

"I know Flamecloud is evil." Icepaw mewed, breaking her silence, "I overheard him plotting to kill Greenleap with Rockclaw, so Rockclaw could make it deputy."

"Then we must warn the next deputy. Rockclaw _can't_ be a leader!" Mistpaw gasped; she looked towards Crazystorm for advice.

"That is your decision to make." Crazystorm dipped his head, "Though it may not be a wise one."

"How do you know about this stuff anyway?" Icepaw growled, "You're not even a medicine cat!"

"Firestar came to me in a dream." Crazystorm mewed simply.

"But why you?" Icepaw flicked her ears. "I mean, he could've went to Mossflower, Mintfur, or Duskpaw! Or even Breezefur, she knows too-"

"Let all the cats of MeadowClan gather underneath the Meeting Rock for a Clan meeting!" Nightstar's yowl rang loud and clear from the Meeting Rock.

Icepaw turned to Crazystorm who did not reply. He merely nodded at Icepaw, then disappeared in the crowed of cats. Icepaw and Mistpaw followed the strange cat.

"As you all know, a leader must appoint a deputy before moonhigh!" Nightstar meowed; silencing the Clan, "I shall appoint one know."

A murmur rippled throughout the Clan.

"Who could it be?" Icepaw whispered in Mistpaw's ear.

"There are many choices." Mistpaw gazed at the senior warriors, "It would be hard for me to choose."

"Greenleap has decided to step down from the roll of deputy." Nightstar announced; there were murmurs of satisfaction and surprise, "I shall appoint a new deputy, due to the warrior code. I have made my decision. The next deputy shall be…"

Grassheart and Branchwing both looked at each other with hard eyes, Rockclaw flicked his ears, and Greenleap purred with respect.

"... Breezefur!" Nightstar yowled; a hush swept over the Clan.

"She can't possibly be deputy! She hasn't even completed one apprentice training!" Rockclaw snarled.

"Though she may not have that much experience than senior warriors, she has the potential to be deputy. Do not forget, I trained her myself, there is no cat that I trust more, than Breezefur!" Nightstar explained.

"Breezefur! Breezefur!" The Clan yowled for their Clanmate; Icepaw's being the loudest.

"M… me?" Breezefur blinked in surprise, "I… I'm honored…"

Breezefur bounded onto the Meeting Rock. Her pelt was almost black in the dark night. Breezefur's violet eyes glowed like embers from the Meeting Rock. Nightstar touched his tail tip to Beezefur's shoulder. His eyes filled with warmth. Nightstar had worked so hard to train this amazing cat.

"You'll be a great leader." Nightstar murmured.

"Thank you." Breezefur whispered.

She hopped down from the Meeting Rock. Each stride was perfect and smooth. Once the dark grey she-cat reached the ground, friends and family flocked around her. Nightstar raised his tail for silence.

"You are all dismissed!" Nightstar meowed, "Have a night's rest. I can guarantee it will be a busy day tomorrow."

Nightstar bounded down from the Meeting Rock with ease. The snow crunched underneath the handsome leader's paws. Breezefur headed towards the warriors' den. Icepaw caught up with her. Her ice blue eyes pierced whoever looked at them.

"Congratulations!" Icepaw purred, "I'm so proud of you! Deputy!"

"Thanks." Breezefur gave a weak smile, "You should be a popular apprentice."

"I guess so…" Icepaw licked her chest.

Breezefur checked if there were any cats around. The moon was starting to fall, and dawn was breaking.

"If we want to sleep, we should hurry." Breezefur whispered.

"Hurry for what?" Icepaw cocked her head.

"You know about the prophecy, right?" Breezefur inched towards Icepaw.

"Why does every cat care-" Icepaw hissed angrily.

"-because we want to know why you three were given these special abilities." Breezefur cut her apprentice off. "I know it seems annoying when so many cats ask you. But you must understand. If you have any information you have collected, please come to me, Mintfur, or Crazystorm. We'll talk in the morning…"

Without waiting for a reply, Breezefur brushed past Icepaw and headed into the warriors' den. Bits of snow fell onto the dark grey cat when she entered the hollow hill. Icepaw stared at the dark hole that welcomed the warriors. _Why is the prophecy such a big deal?_ Icepaw stared down at her paws. _What lies in my future?_

* * *

 **Well, there's the chapters. There's still several left, though.**

 **There may be minor edits to the other chapters later. It's not going to affect the story, so rereading is not recomended.**


	28. Chapter 27: The lost brother

The morning light was as flaboyant as a rainbow. A swirl of color touched the sky with its artistic finger. Duskpaw always admired MoonClan's creativity. Twolegs often live in little dens by LakeClan to watch MoonClan in work. Duskpaw was so wrapping in staring at the sky, she forgot what her real task was to do. Mintfur slid out the medicine den and caught Duskpaw staring at the sky.

"Duskpaw, you can't stare in awe at the sky all day. There are herbs to be sorted." Mintfur sighed.

"I know, but MoonClan's work is always so pretty!" Duskpaw murmured. "Some cats just don't appreciate how well MoonClan works."

"It depends on what MoonClan works on." Mintfur flicked her ears. "Come on now. We must get back to work before Mossflower decides to yell at us for standing around doing nothing."

Reluctantly, Duskpaw followed Mintfur into the medicine den. The dirt walls crumbled as Duskpaw made another shelf for the catmint. The smell of fresh herbs stung her nose like a nettle. Duskpaw noticed an empty shelf.

"I'm off to find borage." Duskpaw told Mintfur.

"Out in the snow?" Mintfur looked at Duskpaw, "Why?"

"There's no more," Duskpaw replied. "And Cherryleaf is expecting kits,"

"Because of her late response," Mintfur added, "Her kits will be due soon. Thank MoonClan she told Nightstar and he announced to the Clan. If she waited any later, there would be no kits!"

"I hope so." Duskpaw muttered under her breath.

"And don't forget to take a warrior with you!" Mintfur called to Duskpaw as her apprentice left the den.

Duskpaw stepped out in the frigid weather. Snowflakes sprinkled the sky like stars; one melted on Duskpaw's nose. Duskpaw saw her father sharing tongues with her mother. I don't get to spend that much time with Nightstar. Maybe I can take him along? Duskpaw trotted towards her parents, digging little holes in the snow.

"Nightstar." Duskpaw meowed, "Would you please come with me to gather herbs?"

Nightstar licked his paw, he showed no sign of interest. He didn't even look at his eldest daughter.

"Why don't you go and ask some cat else?" Nightstar muttered. "I'm the leader, and I need to lead the Clan."

Duskpaw looked hurt. Her dad had refused. Blossomheart glanced at Duskpaw's broken face.

"Why not?" Blossomheart nudged her mate. "After all, you have a deputy that can take your place while you're gone. Have some bonding time!"

Sighing, Nightstar heaved himself up from his sitting spot. He shook the white bits off of his jet black pelt. Duskpaw forced a smile. Why did he refuse to come? Marching through the snow, Duskpaw led her father out of camp. Nightstar halted, and turned around.

"Breezefur will be in charge while I'm away!" Nightstar ordered, then turned to face his daughter, "Lead the way…"

Duskpaw and Nightstar traveled a short distance to gather the borage. They were fortunate to find a couple plants poking out the snow. Duskpaw plucked out the little plants with thorny leaves.

"Let's go." Duskpaw mewed through a jawful of borage.

When Nightstar just turned around, there was a shuffling noise underneath the snow. Nightstar whipped around. Duskpaw backed away.

"Get behind me Duskpaw." Nightstar growled; Duskpaw did as she was told.

There was a little lump underneath the snow. The lump slithered like a snake towards the two cats. A marbled cinnamon tabby tom with copper eyes lunged at Nightstar and tackled him to the ground.

"WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN!?" the tom yowled.

"Who are you? And what are you doing on our territory?" Nightstar kicked the tom off of him.

The tom went stumbling backwards. His eyes looked hurt.

"My dear brother doesn't remember me!" The tom wailed.

"Dear brother?" Nightstar flexed his claws, "I don't have a brother! Once again, who are you? And what are you doing on our territory?!"

The tom blinked, then shook out his pelt.

"I am so sorry." The tom muttered, "I… I thought you were my brother…."

"What happened to you?" Duskpaw stepped up. "You have so many cuts and bruises!"

"Well, there were a band of rogues not far from here. Rain, my brother, and I were passing through your territory. Then, a patrol of scarred cats ambushed us and took my brother captive. I escaped, but just in time to see my brother taken away. I ran after those rogues. But they fought me off pretty easily." The tom explained. "So I've been looking for my brother ever since."

"Where are those rogues now?" Nightstar tensed.

"They fled into a wasteland," The tom replied. "They also said that this was their territory."

"A wasteland?" Nightstar cocked his head, "What's a wasteland?"

"A place where those creatures with two legs throw away trash." The tom explained.

"What's trash?" Nightstar asked.

"Smelly stuff. Sometimes shiny. Don't eat it! You can either die from poison or choking." The tom warned.

"We don't have that in our territory." Nightstar frowned, "Where did those rogues ambush you?"

The tom pointed his tail towards the DumbClan border.

"Somewhere near there. It was a ways distance to find you cats though!"

"That's DumbClan territory." Nightstar mewed flatly. "A bunch of traitors and dum-dums."

"Why would they want your brother?" Duskpaw questioned, "Did you do something to provoke them?"

"N… no." The tom stammered, "We were just passing by! That's all."

"Never knew DumbClan knew how to protect their territory." Nightstar muttered; he looked at the tom. "I guess it's time for you to leave. We can't have loners on our territory."

"But father!" Duskpaw protested. "He's badly wounded! And he could be an addition to the Clan!"

"We have a good amount of queens in the nursery." Nightstar growled, "And he doesn't need to join."

"Well, I'm letting him stay!" Duskpaw lashed her tail.

"NO! You are not the Clan leader! You must obey my orders!" Nightstar snarled.

"If Icepaw was gone, and DumbClan captured her, and there was no cat to help you, would you ask for help from some rogues, loners, and kittypets? I would! I'd die to save Icepaw!" Duskpaw hissed; her eyes burning into her father's.

"Fine. He can stay. He can become part of the Clan. So can his brother. But only if they both can prove they are worthy of joining the Clan." Nightstar sighed.

"Thank you!" the tom meowed.

Nightstar rolled his eyes and whisked around, muttering under his breath as he marched towards camp. Duskpaw flicked her ears and looked up at the tom. He wasn't much older than she was, maybe by a half moon.

"What's your name?" Duskpaw asked.

"Uh… my name… is… Grass." Grass mewed, suddenly feeling shy.

"I know, my name is weird." Grass muttered. Stop looking at me, he thought.

"We're here." Duskpaw mewed to Grass.

Duskpaw led Grass through the tall, frozen grass that were as sharp as icicles. Grass gazed around in amazement.

"Wow…" Grass murmured; dodging an icicle, "Your home is very well fortified."

"It keeps rogues, loners, kittypets, dogs, badgers, foxes, buzzards, and Twolegs from coming into camp." Duskpaw mewed.

"You have a lot of dangers…" Grass muttered. "I… mean… um… it's not that big of a deal…"

"Here's camp." Duskpaw nodded.

Grass padded in front of her and gaped. There were numerous cats in camp. Kits were playing in the snow. Apprentices pounced on each other for practice. Queens were watching their kits with intense eyes. Elders were happily dozing near the den. Warriors were darting here and there, attending to their duties. Medicine cats were carrying leaves inside a den, and inventor cats were testing out their latest inventions.

"W...wow!" Grass stammered, "This… this is stupendous! An utopia for different cats alike!" He turned to Duskpaw, "What role do you play?"

"Me?" Duskpaw shrank. "Well, I was an inventor, then MoonClan wanted me to become a medicine cat."

"What does a medicine cat do?" Grass asked.

"We heal the sick and injured." Duskpaw shrugged.

Suddenly, the two entrance guards, Berrysplash and Finchwing, flattened their ears, snarling at the newcomer.

"Who is this?" Finchwing demanded.

Grass backed away, his eyes as round as moons. Duskpaw stepped in front of Grass.

"It's okay! He's with me!" Duskpaw flicked her tail.

"Nightstar has to approve." Finchwing rippled his pelt, comparing himself with Grass.

"He already did." Duskpaw mewed. "Grass is a part of the Clan."

Without another reply, Duskpaw beckoned Grass to follow her. Finchwing lashed his tail as Grass hurried by the two guards. Grass sighed.

"Thanks for protect- I mean bailing me out back there." Grass mewed. "I'm not that aggressive."

"Me neither." Duskpaw shrugged. "I'll be off to the medicine den to stash these borage plants."

"Um… can I join you?" Grass mumbled, following Duskpaw into the medicine den.

"Sure," Duskpaw said as she created a new shelf to put things in.

Duskpaw flicked her ears and held up her tail. Grass stopped.

"Why are there so many cats around and in the medicine den?" Grass questioned, "Do you cats fight a lot?"

"No, we try to prevent battle." Duskpaw shook her head. "Unless…"

Mintfur burst out the medicine den, gasping for breath. Duskpaw hurried over.

"What happened?" Duskpaw fretted.

"Cherryleaf…" Mintfur panted, "She's kitted!"

"Oh MoonClan…" Duskpaw sighed under her breath.

"That's wonderful!" Grass mewed with delight; Mintfur narrowed her eyes.

"Who's he?" Mintfur growled.

"That's Grass." Duskpaw introduced, "Grass, this is my mentor, Mintfur."

"Nice to meet you, Mintfur." Grass dipped his head; Mintfur dipped hers.

"Are you new to the Clan?" Mintfur questioned.

"Yeah, I guess we're family now." Grass nodded.

"Very well, I'll be on my way." Mintfur glanced at the dispersing cats that were at the medicine den before, "I need to check on Cherryleaf's kit. He's very weak."

"What's his name?" Grass asked.

"Burnkit." Mintfur replied.

"Mintfur, could you take these borage plants and store them in the empty shelf next to the catmint? I can show Grass around, and introduce him to a couple of friends." Duskpaw spat the herbs at Mintfur's paws.

"Alright." Mintfur picked up the borage plants covered in saliva.

Duskpaw turned to see if Grass was still there as Mintfur left for the medicine den. Grass suddenly realized he'd been staring at Duskpaw; he quickly glanced at the ground.

"So…" Grass started awkwardly, "I guess you could show me around?"

"Okay," Duskpaw began. Grass was looking sadly at the ground. She quickly added, "I'm sorry."

"For what?" Grass mumbled.

"That you lost your brother."

"Oh… yeah…" Grass's eyes were filled with worry.

"I have a sister." Duskpaw whispered. "And I'd do anything to find her." Duskpaw looked far away into the distance; Grass turned bright red. "We will find your brother."


	29. Chapter 28: The fire that never burned

The snow had turned shallow that evening. Cherryleaf was curled up tight in her nest, with a kit tucked close beside her. He was a handsome one. His flame colored pelt was darker than average. It was like he was burned. So Cherryleaf and Finchwing decided to name him Burnkit, for his 'burning' pelt. This was the only kit that Cherryleaf ever named. Flamecloud, Dawnstrider, and Rockclaw were all named by her vexatious mate. Cherryleaf felt protective for this particular kit. She was going to love him the most.

Mossflower entered the nursery. She settled down beside Cherryleaf, who opened one eye.

"Greetings Cherryleaf. How's Burnkit?" Mossflower rumbled.

"He's fine." Cherryleaf growled. "Let me get some rest."

"You never cease to make me laugh." Mossflower chuckled; Cherryleaf glared at the old medicine cat.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Cherryleaf snapped.

"When you were merely a kit," Mossflower started, "you were kind and caring. Now you are stubborn and curt. What happened?"

"Nothing you need to know about." Cherryleaf hissed; Burnkit gave a wail of protest.

Cherryleaf licked her favorite kit soothingly. Even though her words were bitter and rough, her tongue was as soft as it could be. Mossflower heaved herself to her paws and exited the den. Cherryleaf nuzzled Burnkit. The kitting left her weak like never before. She hadn't felt this vulnerable in a while. Cherryleaf let her eyes droop. Burnkit's tiny body rose and fell. Darkness entered Cherryleaf's mind, and Cherryleaf welcomed it.

The next morning, Icepaw trotted out the apprentice's den gingerly, Mistpaw right beside her.

"How are those wounds?" Mistpaw glanced at Icepaw's pelt.

"They're doing fine." Icepaw replied, "You did very well at the battle yesterday."

"Thanks, you too!" Mistpaw purred, "We make an excellent team!"

The two apprentices strolled around the camp, catching up on other cat's day's and visiting family. Mistpaw's mentor, Sassytail, interrupted the apprentice's break.

"Mistpaw, you are like in a patrol with me and Honeypelt." Sassytail muttered, "So yeah, like come with me."

Mistpaw rolled her eyes and followed Sassytail, nodding a quick goodbye to Icepaw. Icepaw blinked for a couple of moments. Maybe I could go and play with Leafkit. Icepaw thought hopefully.

Icepaw headed for the nursery, willing to see the tabby tom again. Once she entered the nursery, the first thing Icepaw saw was Cherryleaf and Burnkit. Icepaw snorted. She crept past them, but a layer of snow crunched under her paws, Cherryleaf's head shot up like a rocket. She swiveled her head towards Icepaw, her teeth were bared and her eyes were narrowed.

"What are you doing here?!" Cherryleaf demanded, "This is the nursery! Not the apprentices' den you hare-brain!"

"I'm just here to play with Leafkit." Icepaw explained, "And you might wake your kit up with that meow."

"Don't you dare tell me what to do!" Cherryleaf sprang to her paws, Burnkit still sleeping peacefully in the warm nest, "You've come here to hurt my kit! You are a murderer! Like your hare-brained sister and your hare-brained family!"

All the queens and kits in the nursery woke up. Heatherfur tucked her three kits in closer to her belly, and Mallowleaf bared her teeth.

"Cherryleaf stop! Icepaw only wanted to play with Leafkit!" Mallowleaf snarled; Burnkit wailed.

"Shut up!" Cherryleaf spat; with all her might, she lunged at Icepaw.

The two she-cats went tumbling out the nursery. Icepaw tried to get Cherryleaf off of her with sheathed claws, but her attempt failed. The cats around them stared at the dueling she-cat's with interest or worry. Nightstar bounded across the clearing and broke up the hissing she-cats.

"What is the problem?" Nightstar growled.

At once, Icepaw and Cherryleaf began to tell Nightstar about each other's problems.

"Cherryleaf attacked me when I was just trying to play with Leafkit!" Icepaw hissed.

"Icepaw was trying to hurt Burnkit!" Cherryleaf announced.

"That is a lie!" Mallowleaf exited the nursery with her two kits trailing behind her, "Icepaw is innocent! Heatherfur and I can tell you about it!"

"Enough! Cherryleaf, I know that my daughter would have never attempted to hurt a innocent kit." Nightstar silenced the debating cats, "You have attacked her for no reason at all."

All at once, the Clan started throwing insults and rude comments at Cherryleaf. Cherryleaf's eyes were round and terrified, Flamecloud and Rockclaw yowled the word traitor and Dawnstrider scowled at the presence of her mother. Finchwing spat at his mate.

"I should've never mated you!" Finchwing yowled.

Cherryleaf fluffed up her pelt and roared, the insulters were silent.

"You traitors have a brain the size of a grain of sand!" Cherryleaf howled, "You have no evidence on whether Icepaw is evil or not! Lionstar thought that Icepaw was evil! Why can't I?"

"Because he was proven wrong!" Breezefur retorted, "When he did think Icepaw was evil, look where that got him!"

"I am loyal to Lionstar!" Cherryleaf snarled. "Unlike you traitors!" She threw the words directly at Finchwing, Flamecloud, Rockclaw, and Dawnstrider.

"You aren't loyal to us or Lionstar," Nightstar concluded, "You are only loyal to DumbClan. Bring in the catapult!"

Crazystorm and Snowpelt started hauling in the massive invention. Cherryleaf flinched.

"Are you cats really going to fling a nursing queen?" Cherryleaf demanded.

"Yes, yes we are." Nightstar ran his eyes over the catapult, "We don't need anymore traitors here. We never needed them. We do not care about their health or their status. Get on the catapult Cherryleaf, you are officially exiled from this Clan. May MoonClan have mercy, whether you live or die once you hit DumbClan territory."

Cherryleaf was shoved onto the catapult, and Nightstar pushed the button with all his might. Cherryleaf went flying in the air, her legs sprawled out as she flew away.

"Any cat else we shall fling?" Nightstar's eyes had turned a little scarlet. "While we have this wonderful invention?"

Some cat pushed Sassytail into the clearing.

"W…what? Who would, like, fling me?" Sassytail stammered.

"Dad, what about Mistpaw?!" Icepaw yelped.

Nightstar was only partially listening to his daughter, he turned to Mistpaw.

"Mistpaw do you wish for a better mentor than this overly sassy piece of dumb fur?" Nightstar questioned.

Mistpaw, terrified, looked at Icepaw for help. Icepaw just gave her just listen to your heart look. Mistpaw took a deep breath.

"Yes."

Sassytail shrieked, and Crazystorm threw himself in front of his sister.

"You will not fling the only family I've got left!" Crazystorm howled, "Fling me instead!"

"Some cat move Crazystorm!" Nightstar ordered; Finchwing and Honeypelt came to their leader's aid.

Nightstar dragged Sassytail by the scruff and flung her on the catapult. He pushed the button, and away Sassytail flew. Crazystorm was horrified.

"How dare you!" Crazystorm broke free from Finchwing and Honeypelt's hold, "How could you!"

"That was Mistpaw's decision." Nightstar mewed simply; Crazystorm scowled at Mistpaw.

"The flinging is over!" Nightstar declared, "Crazystorm, I am sorry for your loss."

Cats departed one by one, soon, there was only Crazystorm hunched over where Sassytail last stood. Mistpaw crept up slowly towards Crazystorm.

"I'm so sorry…" Mistpaw murmured, "Please… forgive me…"

Crazystorm turned around, his eyes were filled with tears.

"I must go on with life." Crazystorm sniffed. "I… I will find… a new family."

From the nursery, a small kit with a dark red pelt stared out the nursery. His curious blue eyes filled with wonder. What had these cats just done? Was it bad? Was it good? Why does one have water coming out of his eyes? Thoughts and questions poured into the little kit's mind, he wailed with agony. This scene was too much to overcome.


	30. Chapter 29: Two moons later

It had been two moons since Cherryleaf and Sassytail's exile. Crazystorm had been renamed Greystorm, and was holding to keep strong. The loss of his littermate had hit him hard, but he worked just as much as the rest of the Clan. Mossflower had also joined the elders a day ago.

Icepaw was relieved that the snow had started melting that day, the sun was bright and high in the sky. Her silver tabby pelt gleaming in the sunshine, Mistpaw joined her friend.

"Nice day isn't it?" Icepaw shook some dew off her pelt. "Not as much snow couple moons ago."

"Don't remind me." Mistpaw's brow furrowed, her socket bending a little.

"Right, sorry." Icepaw winced.

A dark grey she-cat with glowing violet eyes trotted out the warriors' den. Her head was held high and her tail swept close to the ground. Breezefur snapped her attention to the two apprentices once she was a tail length away from them.

"Icepaw, Mistpaw." Breezefur nodded, "Come with me."

Obediently, the two apprentices strode after Breezefur. Cats dipped their head or nodded to her as Breezefur passed. Icepaw puffed out her chest in pride. A mottled brown she-cat was waiting beside the fresh-kill pile. She was Mistpaw's newest mentor.

"You are late. I expected better from my daughter." Grassheart sniffed.

"I have been very busy, Mom." Breezefur rippled her pelt, "But I brought them."

"It is time then." Grassheart murmured. "You two have waited for this moment, I presume, for a long time."

Icepaw and Mistpaw exchanged glances. _Time for what?_ Grassheart did not wait for a reply. She heaved herself up out of her previous sitting spot, and whisked past Breezefur and the two apprentices. Breezefur followed, Icepaw and Mistpaw right behind her.

The grass danced in the wind. Their long fingers tickled Icepaw as she trotted after her mentor. Fluffy, white clouds dotted the sky like the flecks on Grassheart's pelt.

Grassheart halted, so did her patrol.

"Icepaw, Mistpaw." Grassheart asked.

"Yes?" Icepaw and Mistpaw mewed in unison.

"Are you ready for your apprentice assessment?"

* * *

 **AND...WE'RE...DONE!**

 **Keep watch for Legends of the Clans Book 2: The Journey, which may or may not be posted today! And since I'm _nice_ , here's a sneak peek!**

* * *

Tigerstar surveyed his surroundings. Next to him, a river of blood flowed, waiting in hunger for its next victim. He glanced at the endless field of grass, a few cats here and there. He knew this place well. It was his home.

He remembered that infuriating Firestar sinking his teeth into his neck. He remembered his burning fury as he faded.

Settling down, Tigerstar made himself a nice, thorny nest. Tigerstar closed his eyes, and dreamt.

Tigerstar stood in endless fields of healthy grass, a crystal clear river running through. He grimaced. He scanned the new place. It was… nice. Much like the old forest where he was born. Then he saw a mottled, pale ginger tom with one eye missing.

"Who are you?" Tigerstar demanded.

"No need to speak like that to the _true_ leader of the Dark Forest." The tom hissed.

"This isn't the Dark Forest, mouse-brain." Tigerstar sniffed, "It is much too happy."

"I know that." The tom rasped, "I can't wait to get out of this horrible haven."

"You can't get out of MoonClan." Tigerstar mewed flatly.

"This isn't MoonClan." The tom spat, "This is the Fields of Waiting. Where forgotten cats wait to be reincarnated."


	31. A message to readers

Hello FanFiction, long time no see! I have an important message.

A while ago, writing on this series stalled as its writers started focusing on other things, like their YouTube channels. This gave us time to look back at these previous chapters. We realized that we would need to rewrite the series.

Somewhere after this point, some writers of the book left. I decided to completely reboot the series with a few new writers. Some elements of the original story will remain, but the plot will go through drastic changes.

The prologue of the story will be posted soon! Look out for MEADOWCLAN: Dancing Light!


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